WHO announces forthcoming updates on the systematic screening for TB
7 December 2020 | GENEVA: In a Rapid Communication issued today, the World Health Organization (WHO) is announcing a number of updates to its forthcoming guidance on the systematic screening of tuberculosis (TB) disease. This will help national TB programmes, public and private healthcare providers, funders and other stakeholders to prepare for the changes that will be introduced when the new guidelines are released in early 2021.
It is estimated that close to three million people with TB are
not diagnosed or reported annually around the world. Improved TB
screening using new tools and approaches to reach all people
with care could help bridge this gap. Measures like screening
need to be stepped up rapidly to reach the global target of
treating at least 40 million people with TB by 2022.
The updated guidance will avail of the latest evidence and best
available practices on, amongst others, new approaches to
screening of people at risk, the role of new technologies such
as computer-aided detection (CAD) to interpret chest radiography
and the use of molecular rapid diagnostics for screening.
“Systematic screening is critical to ensure we can detect
TB early in the people who need it, while also identifying
people who could benefit from TB preventive treatment. This is
important to break the chain of transmission and to ensure no
one is left behind.” said Dr Tereza Kasaeva, Director of
WHO’s Global TB Programme. “We need to maximize upon
the synergies between the delivery of TB and COVID services
during contact investigation and other situations, especially at
these times of crisis when the demand on healthcare services is
high.”
Source:
WHO
