WHO Urges Swift Action as Child TB Cases Surge by 10% in Europe

 

WHO Urges Swift Action as Child TB Cases Surge by 10% in Europe

A new report reveals a significant 10% increase in tuberculosis (TB) infections among children across the WHO’s European region in 2023, underscoring the continued transmission of the disease and the urgent need for enhanced public health interventions.

According to the World Health Organization, the European region—which includes 53 nations spanning Europe and Central Asia—documented over 7,500 TB cases in children under 15 years old last year. This marks an increase of more than 650 cases compared to 2022.

“The worrying rise in children with TB serves as a reminder that progress against this preventable and curable disease remains fragile,” stated Hans Henri Kluge, WHO’s Regional Director for Europe.

Askar Yedilbayev, WHO’s regional TB advisor for Europe, suggested in an interview that the overall increase in cases could indicate improved detection methods. However, he also pointed to growing cross-border migration, particularly influenced by the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict—two countries with the highest TB burden in the region—as a possible contributing factor.

A joint assessment by WHO and the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control revealed that children under 15 years old accounted for 4.3% of all TB infections within the European Union. This marks the third consecutive year of rising cases among this age group, a trend Yedilbayev described as a “worrisome scenario.”

Previously, WHO cautioned that reductions in financial support from global donors could undermine TB control efforts, particularly in low- and middle-income nations. The organization warned that these budget cuts could significantly impact TB programs in non-EU countries, potentially leading to the emergence of more drug-resistant strains of the disease.

Yedilbayev further highlighted the adverse effects of funding reductions on local TB response teams, noting that shortages of diagnostic tools and treatment options remain a pressing concern.

TB ranks among the world’s top 10 causes of mortality. It is a bacterial infection primarily affecting the lungs and spreads through airborne droplets released when an infected person coughs or sneezes.