Roadmap vs childhood TB outlined

MANILA, Philippines - More than 74,000 children will be saved from tuberculosis (TB) through measures outlined in the first-ever action plan developed by global experts on the disease.

Based on the “Roadmap for Childhood TB: Toward Zero Deaths” released on Monday, an investment of around $120 million a year could have a major impact on efforts to prevent deaths from childhood TB, including among those infected with both TB and HIV.

Every day, over 200 children below 15 die from TB, a respiratory disease that is preventable and curable.

The World Heath Organization (WHO) has estimated that as many as one in 10 TB cases globally are among this age group but the number could be higher because infected children are simply undiagnosed.

Dr. Mario Raviglione, WHO director for the Global Tuberculosis Program, said “any child who dies from TB is one child too many.”

“TB is preventable and treatable, and this roadmap focuses on immediate actions governments and partners can take to stop children dying,” he said.

The roadmap shows it will take a “small price tag” of $120 million a year in new funding to address childhood TB from governments and donors.

This includes $40 million for HIV antiretroviral therapy and preventive therapy — to prevent active TB disease — for children co-infected with TB and HIV.

The funds will also go toward improving detection, developing better medicine for children, and integrating TB treatment into existing maternal and child health programs.

According to Nicholas Alipui, director of programs for the United Nations Children’s Fund, “far too many children with tuberculosis are not getting the treatment they need.”

“Most of these children live in the poorest, most vulnerable households. It is wrong that any children should die for want of a simple, affordable cure, especially where there are community-based options to deliver life-saving interventions,” Alipui added.

The roadmap recommends 10 measures at the national and global levels like inclusion of the needs of children and adolescents in research, policy development and clinical practices; and collection and reporting of better data, including preventive measures and development of training and reference materials on childhood TB for health workers.