Eliminating tuberculosis within a generation -Governance Now

Eliminating tuberculosis within a generation

Published ahead of World TB Day (24 March 2019), The Lancet Commission on Tuberculosis estimates that there are significant financial benefits of reducing TB mortality.

GN Bureau | March 22, 2019

#Lancet Commission #World TB Day #tuberculosis #India #deaths #disease

Published ahead of World TB Day (24 March 2019), The Lancet Commission on Tuberculosis estimates that there are significant financial benefits of reducing TB mortality. With the country shouldering one-fourth of the global burden and a predominant number of patients accessing care in the private sector, the Lancet Commission’s report says that the country can save 8 million lives over the next 30 years by providing subsidized tests and supporting patients to complete tuberculosis treatment.

Here are the key highlights from the report:

-Tuberculosis has killed more than 1.6 million people a year in 2017, more people than any other infectious disease

-Currently more than a third of TB cases (35%) are not diagnosed or treated.

-India can save 8 million lives over the next 30 years by providing subsidized tests and supporting patients to complete tuberculosis treatment.

-The savings from averting a TB death are estimated to be three times the costs, and may be much greater in many countries.

-The saved lives would constitute over a quarter of total deaths (28%) due to tuberculosis. This would cost an extra US$290 million each year, which is significantly less than India’s US$32 billion losses associated with TB mortality each year.

-The UN and WHO have declared TB a health crisis and made ending the disease a global priority. This included ambitious goals to treat 40 million people, and to prevent 30 million new cases between 2018-2022.

-India can increase domestic expenditure on TB by 400% over the next 5 years by increasing the distribution of public resources to health, pooling financing, and allocating tax revenues to health.

-Priorities include availability of high quality diagnostic tests and treatments for all people with active TB in high burden areas.

Comments

Other News

Skin in the game or masterful market timing?

When a company founder opens their personal chequebook to buy shares in their own business, stock markets usually applaud. To the average retail investor, it feels like the ultimate vote of confidence, a sign that the people running the show have real skin in the game and believe brighter days are ahead.

India’s freedom struggle was shaped by wider Asian political thought

As we mark 80th anniversary of independence, ‘Asianism and the Fall of Empire’ (HarperCollins India) by historian Mithi Mukherjee offers a new perspective on Ind

What is colonialism? A relook at modern history

The Chromatic World Order: The Fiction That Rules Our World By Sajid Mohamed Aakar Books

Monsoon session of parliament adjourns sine die

The Monsoon Session, 2026 of Parliament which commenced on July 20 was adjourned sine die on Thursday. The session provided 19 sittings spread over a period of 25 days. During the session 11 Bills were introduced in Lok Sabha and 2 Bills were introduced in Rajya Sabha. 12 B

Consumer Justice at a Crossroads

Over the past four decades, India`s consumer protection landscape has undergone a remarkable transformation. What began with the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 as a simple mechanism to empower ordinary citizens has evolved into a comprehensive framework capable of addressing challenges ranging from mislea

Doctors, experts call for ban on junk food ads, mandate warning labels

More than 30 doctors, medical scientists and public health professionals have urged the government to take decisive action against the aggressive advertising and marketing of junk food, calling for a watershed ban on advertisements for foods high in fat, sugar and salt (HFSS) and ultra-processed foods (UPF