TUBERCULOSIS became the world’s leading cause of death, surpassing COVID-19 fatalities in 2023, according to a World Health Organization press release issued on 29 October 2024. More than 8.2 million people were affected by TB globally in 2023, with over one million lives lost to the disease.
The number of deaths caused by tuberculosis (TB) surpassed those from COVID-19 in 2023. Over half of these TB cases occurred in India, Indonesia, China, the Philippines, and Pakistan, marking the highest number since the global TB monitoring programme began in 1995. In 2023, only two out of five patients with drug-resistant TB received treatment, underscoring the continued threat that TB poses to global public health and health security.
Currently, TB is an infectious disease that causes the highest number of deaths globally. Governments in various countries are striving to reduce TB-related deaths by identifying and treating patients, achieving notable success. However, the eradication of TB remains elusive due to current global challenges. As such, governments in various countries and people have to successfully control the infection of TB disease so as to save the lives of future generations.
The spread of TB disease is closely linked to socioeconomic conditions such as high population density, poverty, migration, reliance on daily wages, and malnutrition. Many TB patients are often unaware of their condition, increasing the risk for those in prolonged contact with them. Approximately 22 per cent of these close contacts may contract the disease. A patient with untreated TB can potentially spread the bacteria to 10–15 people each year.
According to the records of the Ministry of Health, Myanmar is providing medical treatment to people suffering from TB, TB+HIV and drug-resistant TB diseases. The Global TB Report 2023 of the WHO stated that Myanmar identified and treated over 120,000 TB patients that year, and 88 per cent of them were treated successfully. Up to now, health staff have been striving for the prevention of virus infection of TB by raising public health awareness on how to prevent infection of the disease and take medical treatment.
Despite significant challenges in controlling TB infection, Myanmar must intensify efforts to identify and treat TB patients. Particular attention should be given to finding new cases in unexpected or medically underserved areas. It is essential for everyone to understand that TB is curable, and timely medical treatment can lead to full recovery from the disease.
