Africa not on track for 2030 SDG targets on TB – WHO

The African continent is not on track to achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) targets related to tuberculosis , the World Health Organisation, has said.

WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti, in a statement yesterday to mark this year’s World Tuberculosis Day, said: “Only one in two people with TB (56%) across the continent is on treatment. Fewer than one in three children (29%) living with someone with confirmed active TB is on preventive therapy.

“TB control budgets

are chronically underfunded, and most countries do not have information on families facing catastrophic costs due to TB. This is needed to track progress towards the SDG targets.”

She said it was time African governments increased domestic investments in TB and strengthened regulatory environments to facilitate importation, monitoring and use of quality products.

She said it was time for health-care providers to implement minimum standards of care in line with WHO recommendations on diagnostics, treatment regimens and preventive therapy for high-risk groups.