Will Himalayan Indian state eliminate tuberculosis by 2023?
BOBBY RAMAKANT - CNS
Two years before the pandemic had struck us, the hilly state of Himachal Pradesh in India had declared that it will eliminate tuberculosis (TB) by 2023 - two years before the national #endTB target (2025), and seven years before the global #endTB target (2030). State Chief Minister's dedicated initiative had further galvanized the efforts towards containing the ancient disease. But are we on track?
We must remember that an infectious disease anywhere is an infectious disease everywhere. TB anywhere is TB everywhere. If we are to eliminate TB from our home and communities, it also must be eliminated from all other home and communities around the world. The same holds true for COVID-19.
TB care failed to reach over one-third of TB patients in India in 2020
As per the latest Global TB Report of the World Health Organization (WHO), only 63% of the estimated total number of people with active TB disease were diagnosed and put on treatment in 2020. Over half a million people died of TB in the same year.
Even before the pandemic had struck the world, most parts of the world were not on track to end TB by 2030. India was no different, with appallingly low TB decline rate - year after year - than the required decline necessary to eliminate the disease.
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