A new global study analyzing tuberculosis burden data has found that India along with most countries did not achieve the important 2020 targets set under the World Health Organization’s strategy to eliminate the deadly bacterial infection from the world. The Lancet Infectious Diseases journal recently published results from the ambitious Global Burden of Disease study conducted on 204 countries.
While the incidence and mortality from TB have reduced marginally over the years due to intensified control efforts, India still reported an estimated 213 TB cases per one lakh population in 2020. This was well above the WHO’s goal of 171 cases for India. TB deaths in the country were also estimated to be significantly higher, between 3.5 to 5 lakh deaths against the targeted range of 2.7 to 3.2 lakh.
Overall, only 15 out of the 204 countries analyzed met the reduced TB incidence target for 2020 of 20%. Another 17 countries achieved the mortality reduction target of 35% compared to the baseline of 2015. Most of the countries that accomplished these targets were located in the African region, likely due to stronger contact tracing and community screening along with improved antiretroviral therapy.
While progress was evident in reducing the burden among children, elderly population aged 50 years and above faced the slowest decline. Given they account for a significant proportion of new cases and deaths, targeting interventions for this age group will be crucial to achieve the long term WHO goals. With evidence showing outdoor transmission plays a major role, integrating efforts like contact tracing with community programs can help further curb the spread.
The researchers acknowledged countries like Moldova and Ecuador managed to boost treatment adherencethrough effective social welfare programs, potentially averting drug resistance issues. However, availability of shorter and less toxic therapies endorsed by WHO for drug-resistant TB could empower more nations to reduce deaths and meet the milestones. The COVID-19 pandemic’s true impact on TB also remains to be fully evaluated through continued diligent research.
The comprehensive Global Burden of Disease study aims to quantify the health impact of diseases, injuries, and risk factors across geographies over time. Its findings highlight the long road still ahead to eliminate tuberculosis as a global health threat by 2030 as targeted under the WHO strategy. Continued focus and optimization of control measures tailored to local challenges will be key to get on track to meet the larger End TB goals.
