Global TB Report 2022

Global TB Report 2022

Subject: Science and Technology

Context: The WHO released the Global TB Report 2022 on October 27, 2022. The Report notes the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the diagnosis, treatment and burden of disease for TB all over the world.

Concept:

Highlights of the report

• India’s TB incidence for the year 2021 is 210 per 100,000 population – compared to the baseline year of 2015 (incidence was 256 per lakh of population in India).
• There has been an 18% decline which is 7 percentage points better than the global average of 11%.
• These figures also place India at the 36th position in terms of incidence rates (from largest to smallest incidence numbers).
• In 2020 and 2021 – this led to the National TB Elimination Programme notifying over 21.4 lakh TB cases – 18% higher than 2020.
• The WHO Report notes that India is the only country to have completed such a survey in 2021, a year which saw “considerable recovery in India”.

Tuberculosis (TB)

• Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
• TB commonly affects the lungs (pulmonary TB) but can also affect other parts (extrapulmonary TB)
• Tuberculosis spreads from person to person through the air, when people who are infected with TB infection cough, sneeze or otherwise transmit respiratory fluids through the air.
• The most common risk factor associated with TB is HIV & other conditions that impair the immune system.
• Common symptoms of tuberculosis are Chronic cough with blood-tinged sputum, Loss of weight, Loss of appetite, Fever and night sweats, Fatigue , etc.

TB Treatment: consists of four drugs:

• Isoniazid (INH)
• Rifampicin
• Pyrazinamide
• Ethambutol

Multidrug-Resistant TB (MDR-TB)

• In MDR-TB, the bacteria that cause TB develop resistance to antimicrobial drugs used to cure the disease.
• MDR-TB does not respond to at least isoniazid and rifampicin, the 2 most powerful anti-TB drugs.
• Treatment options for MDR-TB are limited and expensive. CBNAAT (Cartridges Based Nucleic Acid Amplification Test) is used for early diagnosis of MDR-TB.

Extensively Drug-Resistant TB (XDR-TB)

• XDR-TB is a form of multidrug-resistant TB with additional resistance to more anti-TB drugs.
• People who are resistant to isoniazid and rifampicin, plus any fluoroquinolone and at least one of three injectable second-line drugs (amikacin, kanamycin, capreomycin) are said to have XDR-TB.
• To achieve goal: To end TB by 2025

India’s Initiative

• National Strategic Plan (NSP) for Tuberculosis Elimination (2017-2025)
• The Nikshay Ecosystem (National TB information system)
• Nikshay Poshan Yojana (NPY- financial support)
• TB HaregaDeshJeetega Campaign.

Global Initiative:

• The WHO (World Health Organisation) has launched a joint initiative “Find. Treat. All. #EndTB” with the Global Fund and Stop TB Partnership.
• WHO also releases the Global Tuberculosis Report