Multi-sectoral response crucial to end tuberculosis

Around 375,000 individuals were infected with TB in 2021, of whom 42,000 died. This means that one life was lost every twelve minutes.

— Dr Md Mahafuzer Rahman Sarker Line Director, DGHS

Experts at an event yesterday stressed a multi-sectoral strategy to accelerate efforts to eliminate Tuberculosis (TB) by 2035 in the country.

Deaths from TB have reduced from 45 deaths per 100,000 in 2015 to 25 in 2021, according to the National TB Control Programme by the Director General of Health Services (DGHS).

"Despite our efforts, TB is still common in the country, with one person being infected with the disease every minute," said Dr Md Mahafuzer Rahman Sarker, line director at the DGHS, while addressing the event in Dhaka.

International Center for Diarrheal Disease and Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b) organised the event marking World TB Day 2023.

Dr Md Mahafuzer Rahman Sarker said that around 375,000 individuals were infected with TB in 2021, of whom 42,000 died.

"This means that one life was lost every twelve minutes," he said.

In his opening remarks, Prof Dr Kazi Shafiqul Halim, Director (MBDC) at the DGHS, said, "To achieve the goal of reducing TB infection to 95 percent by 2035, it is necessary to increase the rate of detection, notification, ensuring services for all as well as increasing public awareness."

The event was attended by 18 lawmakers, including Shirin Akhter, Subarna Mustafa, Aroma Dutta, and Rashed Khan Menon. They expressed their solidarity on the need for engagement and commitment of political leaders to eliminate TB.

In her remarks, Subarna Mustafa pledged to make parents aware of the TB risk in children. Meanwhile, Aroma Dutta highlighted the need for a parliamentary platform to eradicate TB and Shirin Akhter stressed the political leaders taking up social initiatives in this regard.

Speaking as chief guest, Health Minister Zahid Maleque said, "A parliamentary platform on TB is needed. All necessary steps will be taken in this regard."

Dr Tahmeed Ahmed, executive director of icddr,b, emphasized how multi-sectoral stakeholder engagement and the support of political leaders have accelerated efforts to end TB in Bangladesh.

"We have come a long way in combating TB with the initiative of the government and through the assistance of USAID's ACTB programme. But we still need more efforts to reduce drug-resistant TB and childhood TB," he said.

Alliance for Combating TB in Bangladesh (ACTB) is a USAID-funded programme which is led by the icddr,b.