Tuberculosis (TB), a disease that has been a persistent global health challenge, has seen some significant developments recently. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 7.5 million people were newly diagnosed with TB in 2022, marking the highest figure since global monitoring began in 1995. This increase in diagnosis is attributed to improved access to health services in many countries.
India, Indonesia, and the Philippines have made significant strides in combating the disease, accounting for over 60% of the global reduction in new diagnoses in 2020 and 2021. Despite these advancements, TB remains a public health crisis, particularly multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB).
The fight against TB has not been without its challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on TB services, with a decline in new TB diagnoses in 2020 due to lockdowns and health resources being shifted to the COVID response. Additionally, the financial burden of TB remains high, with about 50% of TB patients and their households facing 'catastrophic costs'.
In Ghana, despite a national policy to screen every patient for TB, many are left undiagnosed due to personnel shortages. The high cost of molecular diagnostic tests and the dependence on donor funding for TB drugs further exacerbate the financial challenges in the fight against TB.
Despite these challenges, global efforts to combat TB have saved over 75 million lives since 2000. However, TB remained the world's second leading infectious killer in 2022, behind COVID-19, indicating that more action is needed to eradicate this disease.