The conundrum of TB, tobacco use and NCDs in Asia Pacific
SHOBHA SHUKLA, BOBBY RAMAKANT - CNS
Addressing TB risk factors is also TB prevention - an important cog-in-the-wheel to progress towards ending TB
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Asia Pacific region had over 6.7 million new TB cases and over 883,000 people died of TB in 2021, as per the latest Global TB Report of the World Health Organization (WHO). The top 5 biggest risk factors that caused TB disease in 2021 in Asia Pacific region were undernourishment (1.2 million new cases), tobacco use (502,000 new TB cases), alcohol (486,000 new TB cases), diabetes (234,000 new TB cases), and HIV (209,000 new TB cases).
Preventing TB risk factors is also TB prevention
"Breaking the chain of infection transmission is one of the critical cog-in-the-wheel towards ending TB. Alongside making latest treatment therapies of latent TB infection accessible to those who are at a higher risk of progressing to active TB disease, we also need to focus on stronger tobacco and alcohol control, diabetes prevention and care, TB-HIV collaborative activities, as well as ensuring food security for everyone in the region. TB is preventable - but each of the 6.7 million people who got TB disease in Asia Pacific in 2021, is a grim reminder that we could have done better to prevent TB," said Dr Tara Singh Bam, Asia Pacific Director of International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union) and Board Director of Asia Pacific Cities Alliance for Health and Development (APCAT).
If we are to end TB by 2030, we need urgent and stronger collaborative actions so that while we scale up TB prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care services to all those who need it, we also reduce (with a goal to eliminate) TB risk factors such as tobacco, alcohol, and undernourishment, prevent and reduce NCDs, among other vital steps to strengthen health systems.
Local actions are key to achieve global goals
In many countries in Asia and the Pacific region, despite policies for collaborative activities between national programmes of TB, tobacco, NCDs, or food security, an alarming number of people have suffered due to active TB disease, and quite a significant number died. "At the local level, it is paramount for frontline workers and other local leaders who work on TB, and prevention of tobacco, alcohol, NCDs or undernourishment, to join forces effectively. Local or sub-national governments have a critical responsibility to ensure forging of stronger partnerships between these programmes that address TB risk factors. Reaching out to every case of TB disease and those who need treatment for latent TB is as important as reducing (and eliminating) risk factors that cause the disease," said Dr Tara Singh Bam.
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