WHO WARNS RIGHT TO HEALTH UNDER THREAT

Am smear. Smear-positive the most resource-poor settings es more contagious than miss large numbers of patients with ve TB. The results give a TB. We should instead focus on anation as to why despite screening and the development of o diagnose and treat the inexpensive and easy-to-use tests,” says TB burden in Africa and Cobelens. Over the past few declining. “We already significant strides have been made in as a giant gap between the the diagnosis and treatment of ho get ill with TB and the However, out of an estimated 10.6 ases that were registered lion people worldwide who fell ill with thorities in 2022,” says TB in 2022, only 7.5 million cases were ens,BYPSrUoNfeREsPsOoRrTEoRf Global dto wmeiteht sterdam UMC and Senior s the world observed World AIGHDH.ea“lAth Dpaeyrosviesrtethnetweek-diabgeninog suebdje.cPteadrtto osticitgmaipght end, the World Health Or- n the entry point for a might be missed diagnoses in

ganization (WHO) launched a cam- t ifpa8ig0ncpaellrecd e“Mnty Hoefalthh, oMsyeRight”witwhorTldB’s gwyerewnhotocodveorendot repheoarltth t hatvoeadovnocea,teitfomruenaivnerssatlhaactcess totuberculosis-suggestive symptoms.

quality healthcare. The organiza- ill htiaonppemepnhalasitzedr,thpeoimsspiobrltyance of Consequently, this could serve as ectigoonverhnmasenatilnrveastdmyenbtseinePnrimarysignofitefincsaunffetrfeaccontomrilcealalydfionr git,twoitdh elayed

Healthcare Centers, combating discrimination, about 2 billion people facing financial o many others,” he added. overlooked diagnoses, thus contributingtitoon and ensuring equitable hardship due to health costs, a situaingtitoon encaeccsesestttoinhegaslt,htchariessecroviucelds. thhaet hlaoswbeeern-wthorasenn-inegxfporetcwtoed impact To expand essential health services decades.”The organization stressed the onsiderably to disease of tuberculosis control initiatives on globally, WHO highlighted the need detrimental impact of current crises andfortoanthadediTtioBnabl aunrnduaelnin.vestment hesucghlaosbcoanlflicTtsBandinthce cildimeanteccerisiisn recent of US$200–328 billion, particularly on health and well-being. Millions of analysed the results of decades. In Africa, TB is the second in low- and middle-income countries. people lack access to essential health nitoring The campaign schemes promotes in universal 12 ac- leading services, cause leaving of them death vulnerable from a single to diseases and financial hardship. d fcoeussntodvatrihouastr,igahtlsoincglusdidngequalityinfectious agent, surpassing the toll healthcare, education, safe drinking WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros oughwa,tmer,oanrdeftrheeadnomafqroumadritsecrimina-of AHdIhVanoamnGdheAbriedyess.usInem2ph0a2si2ze,dsome 2.5 h TtBionh. WadHOnpooinstyedmoputttohamt psoliticaml iltlhieonneeidnfdoirvgiodvueranlmsenotns ttohpeasscontinent inaction, lack of accountability, and laws, invest, address discrimination, oth of these traits being contracted the disease, equating to inadequate funding pose significant and be accountable to their populatoonetionpsetrosroeanlizeevtherryigh1t n inchwalolenmgeesntothacahnieviingmthenr.ight 3to sheacltoh.nds, and health worldwide. Vulnerable popula- While acknowledging the right to ke all of these factors into representing a quarter of all new TB tions such as those living in poverty, health within the WHO Constitution, comdiespslaccleemaernt,hoaldtewr aednuletse, dor withcasWesHgOloebmaplhlays.izAedfrtihceaimacpcorotaunncets for over disabilities are disproportionately of legislative action and integration ink large aspects of how 33 percent of all TB-related deaths in affected.“While inaction and injustice of human rights into health policies. eopalre twheitmhajoTrBd.rivIetr’s ocflethaergloba2l 02G2o,vwernitmhenatns ewsetreimuragteeddto4i2n4ve,s0t00deaths in primary healthcare, ensure transparency, prfaiclutriectoed, eelivsepr oencthiae rlilgyht itonhealtho, f the 1.267 million total global deaths. current crises are leading to especially and involve communities egregious violations of this right. Conflicts in decision-making. The campaign are leaving trails of devastation, highlights the interconnectedness of mental and physical distress, and the right to health with other fundamental death. “The burning of fossil fuels is rights and calls for action simultaneously driving the climate across various sectors. Individuals, crisis and violating our right to breathe communities, and civil society are encouraged clean air. The climate crisis is in turn to advocate for their health causing extreme weather events that rights, including access to quality threaten health and well-being across care, non-discrimination, privacy, and the planet and strain access to sernotvificees decision-making autonomy.