10 FACTS ON TUBERCULOSIS

◆ 1. In 2017, there were an estimated 10 million people who fell ill with tuberculosis (TB) worldwide. They included 5.8 million men, 3.2 million women and 1 million children. There were cases in all countries and age groups.

◆ 2. A total of 1.6 million people died from TB in 2017 (including 0.3 million people with HIV). Worldwide, TB is one of the top 10 causes of death and the leading cause from a single infectious agent (above HIV/Aids).

◆ 3. In 2017, 1 million children fell ill with TB globally, and 230 000 children died of TB (including children with HIV associated TB).

◆ 4. TB is the leading killer of people

living with HIV.

◆ 5. Globally, TB incidence is falling at about 2% per year. This needs to accelerate to a 4 – 5% annual decline to reach the 2020 milestones of the End TB Strategy.

◆ 6. In 2017, the 30 high TB burden countries accounted for 87% of new TB cases.

◆ 7. Multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) remains a public health crisis and a health security threat. In 2017, there were estimated 558 000 new cases with resistance to rifampicin (the most effective first-line drug), of which 82% had MDR-TB.

◆ 8. TB treatment saved about 54 million lives globally between 2000 and 2017, but important diagnostic and treatment gaps persist.

◆ 9. Of the estimated 10 million new cases, only 6.4 million were detected and notified in 2017, leading to a gap of 3.6 million cases.

◆ 10. For TB care and prevention, investments in low and middle-income countries fall almost $ 3.5 billion (R506bn) short of the $10.4 billion needed in 2017.

◆ Source: World Health Organisation