WHO European TB Advisory Group meeting in Copenhagen
The 11th meeting of the WHO European Advisory Group on Tuberculosis Control (TAG-TB) took place on 13 and 14th February in Copenhagen, Denmark. The meeting was chaired by Professor Alberto Matteelli, and widely attended by WHO officers from countries, academia, civil society members and community representatives.
Throughout two days, TAG members discussed in detail the latest
TB data, the successes and challenges of implementation of WHO
Roadmap to implement TB Action plan for the WHO European region
2016-2020 and the latest WHO/Europe’s digital health
initiatives. Among other subjects, a specific attention was
given to treatment of latent TB infection (LTBI), TB elimination
in low incidence countries and the best ways to address HIV
associated TB.
WHO estimates that 320 000 people fell
ill with TB last year and 32 000 people died from TB, with death
taking place every 15 min. The TB burden remains unequally
distributed amongst WHO Europe region countries, with two thirds
of all the cases occurring in five countries – Russia,
Ukraine, Romania, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Moldova and
Kyrgyzstan remain the countries with highest TB incidence rate.
Despite the gruesome numbers, the majority of high burden
countries have showed decline in incidence rate, with
particularly impressive decline in Kazakhstan, Tajikistan,
Azerbaijan and Georgia.
Although estimated TB
mortality rate has experience 8,3% annual decline between 2010
and 2015 in the WHO Europe region, the estimated TB/HIV
mortality rate has annual increase of 3,6%. The TB/HIV incidence
rates continue to raise staggering 6,2% annually between 2010
and 2015, and the success rate of treatment outcome is
significantly lower amongst HIV positive patient – 41,4%
in comparison to RR/MDR-TB patients (51,4%). As one of the
observers stated, it might be easier to cure MDR-TB than TB/HIV
in some of the EECA countries.
When it comes to
RR/MDR-TB, it remains public health crisis, with around 120 000
cases in the WHO region. WHO believes that only 35% of estimated
number or RR/MDR-TB cases are detected, with majority of cases
coming from 4 countries – Russia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and
Kazakhstan. Europe remains the leading region in MDR-TB
incidence around the world, with 2 of 11 newly notified TB cases
found with MDR-TB. Furthermore, in 2015 about one in four MDR-TB
patients have XDR-TB. Nevertheless, the treatment success rates
have been increasing and now reach 76%, with 7 countries
achieving targeted 8. 5%.
WHO Technical Advisory
Group also discussed in detail the TB elimination in low
incidence countries of the WHO European Region, with particular
focus on vulnerable groups, cross-border migration, progression
from LTBI and in view of dwindling political commitment and
visibility. The TB policies of three EU member states –
Germany, the Netherlands and the UK were looked at to see what
are the latest trends in all the areas, especially, when it
comes to asylum seekers and refugees.
Finally, the
best ways to treat LTBI were discussed in detail. WHO’s
End TB Strategy states that treatment of LTBI is critical in
order to end the global TB epidemic, with particular focus on
kids and contacts (family members, colleagues etc. of MDR-TB
and/or TB patient). As one of the participants poignantly stated
that the current MDR-TB patient could have been spared the
illness if he had received a treatment as child, when both of
his parents were diagnosed with MDR-TB.
Source:
TB Europe Coalition
