WHO European region records 7,000 more deaths from tuberculosis during the pandemic

The World Health Organization’s (WHO) European region recorded 7,000 more tuberculosis deaths than expected between 2020 and 2022 as a result of worsening diagnostic and treatment efforts during the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to a TB surveillance and monitoring report from the WHO Regional Office for Europe and the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), released today, four days before World TB Day, the rise in deaths is a direct result of the pandemic and disruptions in efforts to diagnose and treat the disease. .

On the other hand, more TB cases were reported in 2022 in the WHO European Region, which covers 53 countries, including 27 European Union member states, with countries reporting more than 170 thousand notifications this year, up from 166 thousand. with last year.

The WHO and ECDC statement said the increase could be a positive indicator that services in many countries are already recovering from the impact of the pandemic and that more people are being diagnosed and treated.

The report also highlights another trend that worries experts, as it indicates that the prevalence of drug-resistant tuberculosis continues to rise.

The report data shows that only seven out of 10 treatments using first-line drugs were successful, the lowest rate recorded in the last decade and perhaps a sign of gaps in monitoring treatment outcomes and problems with patient adherence to treatment.

“If properly planned and implemented, tuberculosis treatment should be successful in about nine out of 10 patients,” the report states.

Among patients infected with tuberculosis and the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), only 48% of patients who started treatment in 2021 were cured.

Last year, the WHO Regional Office for Europe announced an action plan to combat tuberculosis, which sets a goal of eradicating the disease by 2030. However, achieving this goal requires increased efforts in diagnosis and treatment, experts say.

“After the Covid-19 pandemic, we still have a long way to go (…). Timely strengthening of prevention, testing and treatment is a key element in the fight against tuberculosis, and any delays lead to more suffering and death. “, emphasizes ECDC Director Andrea Ammon, quoted in the statement.

WHO Regional Director-General for Europe Hans Henri Kluge also calls on national authorities in member states to “strengthen testing programs, diagnose in a timely manner and implement the latest recommendations.”