Ending TB in South-East Asia: flagship priority and response transformation

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Infectious Disease Epidemiology
• Global Health Policy

Background:

• The WHO South-East Asia Region bears a significant global burden of tuberculosis (TB), accounting for 45% of new cases and 50% of deaths in 2021.
• The region adopted the
• Accelerate Efforts to End TB
• Regional Flagship Priority (RFP) in 2017, aiming to intensify TB control measures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To illustrate intensified and transformed approaches to TB control in the South-East Asia Region post-RFP adoption.
• To highlight challenges encountered during the COVID-19 pandemic and their impact on TB response.
• To outline future investment needs and strategic interventions for ending TB by 2030.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of TB case notifications and treatment success rates between 2016 and 2019.
• Review of TB programme budget allocations and trends.
• Examination of interventions implemented under the RFP and the Regional Strategic Plan.

Main Results:

• TB case notifications increased by 25% and treatment success rates improved by 6% from 2016 to 2019.
• Cumulative TB programme budget allocations reached US$ 1.4 billion in 2022, a 2.5-fold increase since 2016.
• The Regional Strategic Plan (2021-2025) requires up to US$ 3 billion annually for priority interventions.

Conclusions:

• Intensified political commitment, community engagement, and increased funding have driven progress in TB control in the region.
• The COVID-19 pandemic presented new challenges, necessitating adaptive strategies.
• Sustained, commensurate investments and cross-sectoral coordination are essential for achieving the goal of ending TB.