The COVID-19 pandemic is having a devastating impact on the fight against tuberculosis, as many of the same resources required to fight TB – labs, testing machines, health workers – have been diverted to fight COVID-19.

However, the global response to COVID-19 is an opportunity to fight both diseases at the same time, increasing investments in the same tools, health workers and systems for health needed to simultaneously fight TB and COVID-19 and prepare for future airborne pandemics.

COVID-19 is showing us what’s possible when the world is united against a common enemy and provides the resources to fight it. We must #UniteToFight.

#WorldTBDay #EndTB #TheClockIsTicking

State of the Fight: TB Key Results

Key results in countries where the Global Fund invests:

• 5.7 million people treated for TB in 2019. TB treatment coverage increased from 48% in 2010 to 65% in 2018, and TB treatment success rate reached 85% in 2017.
• 125,000 people on treatment for multidrug-resistant TB in 2019; treatment coverage reached 38% in 2018 and MDR-TB treatment success rate increased from 51% in 2010 to 57% in 2016.
• 6,107 people with extensively drug-resistant TB on treatment in 2019.
• 315,000 HIV-positive TB patients on antiretroviral therapy during TB treatment in 2019; coverage of ARVs in HIV-positive TB patients increased from 45% in 2010 to 88% in 2018.

Key Messages: Unite To Fight Against Tuberculosis

The COVID-19 pandemic is having a devastating impact on the fight against tuberculosis, as many of the same resources required to fight TB – labs, testing machines, health workers – have been diverted to fight COVID-19.

We have seen a dramatic reduction in TB testing, reversing years of progress in finding “missing” people with TB – people who go undetected, untreated or unreported and who contribute to ongoing transmission of the disease and the spread of drug-resistant TB. Preliminary data show testing in 13 high-TB burden countries dropped by 29% in 2020 compared to the same period in 2019. Testing for drug-resistant TB has dropped even more.

But there is hope. Emergency funding from the Global Fund to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on HIV, TB and malaria programs and reinforce systems for health has helped countries to continue to fight TB at the same time as fighting COVID-19. For example, while testing levels plummeted in India and Bangladesh in the first months after the COVID-19 pandemic hit, they were able to rebound towards the end of 2020 and to test and treat nearly the same number of TB patients as they were pre-COVID.

The COVID-19 pandemic also provides an opportunity to fight both diseases at the same time, increasing investments in the same tools, health workers and systems for health needed to fight TB and COVID-19 and prepare for future airborne pandemics.

The COVID-19 pandemic has also challenged us to develop innovative new approaches to fight TB, which could help reach more people and accelerate the fight against TB.

COVID-19 also shows us what’s possible when the world is united against a common enemy and provides the resources to fight it; if we can develop rapid tests and vaccines for COVID-19 in less than a year, we can and must do the same for TB.

As we enter the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic, we must increase the global leadership and resources needed to end both COVID-19 and TB as epidemics and strengthen global health security for us all.

Multimedia Resources

Rosemary’s Story: Passion for Saving Lives Remains Undimmed by COVID-19

For Rosemary Wanjiru, a community health volunteer in Nairobi’s Soweto Village, fighting TB in the time of COVID-19 has meant making impossible choices. Her clinic did not have enough PPE. She was torn between keeping herself and her family safe at home or going out to see patients, who desperately needed her help. Read more.

Tweet: Rosemary, a community health volunteer in Nairobi, is dedicated to the fight against infectious diseases such as TB. She goes door-to-door bringing lifesaving treatment & education to her community. #COVID19 changed everything. #UniteToFight #WorldTBDay https://bit.ly/3r3oo49

Aftab's Story: Fighting TB in the Shadow of COVID-19 in India

Aftab Ansari spent years fighting for his life after being diagnosed with extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis. Eventually, through hope and sheer determination, he fully recovered. But today he may be facing an even bigger challenge: helping others survive the same disease he once overcame – in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more.

Tweet: Aftab is an extensively drug-resistant TB survivor in #India. He spent years fighting for his life, but he may be facing an even bigger challenge: helping others survive the same disease he overcame in the middle of the #COVID19 pandemic. #UniteToFight https://bit.ly/2NtgfIG

Fighting TB and COVID-19 at the Same Time

In India, rapid and portable TB testing technology is being deployed to screen for both COVID-19 and tuberculosis. This “laboratory-in-a-suitcase” innovation is helping reach remote communities.

Tweet: To end COVID-19 and TB, we must fight them at the same time. In India, rapid & portable TB testing technology is being deployed to screen for both #COVID19 and #TB. This “laboratory-in-a-suitcase” innovation is helping reach remote communities. #WorldTBDay #UniteToFight @FINDdx

Social Media Messages

COVID-19 is having a devastating impact on the fight against TB. Many of the same resources to fight TB – labs, testing machines, health workers – have been diverted to fight #COVID19. We must accelerate the fight to end both TB and COVID-19. #UniteToFight #WorldTBDay

We can fight #TB and #COVID19 at the same time. With greater investments in the tools, health workers and systems for health needed to fight BOTH diseases we can #SaveLives and be prepared for future airborne pandemics. #UniteToFight

COVID-19 shows us what’s possible when the world is united against a common enemy and provides the resources to fight it. If we can develop rapid tests and vaccines for #COVID19, we can and must do the same for TB. #WorldTBDay #UniteToFight

As we enter the second year of the #COVID19 pandemic, we must increase the global leadership and resources needed to end both COVID-19 and #TB as epidemics and strengthen global health security for us all. #WorldTBDay #UniteToFight

COVID-19 is threatening the work to find and treat people with tuberculosis. In 2020, across 31 countries, 44% fewer people were screened for drug-sensitive TB compared to 2019. To end #COVID19 and #tuberculosis, we must unite the fights against these two deadly airborne threats.

One person with active, untreated TB can spread the disease to 10-15 people in one year. As resources are diverted to fight #COVID19, more “missing” people go undetected & untreated. Unacceptable! We must fight both deadly airborne diseases and #LeaveNoOneBehind. #UniteToFight

Data Explorer

Explore data on investments and results in the fight against AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria around the world.

The Global Fund invests in smart, effective health programs to end AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria as epidemics. The Data Explorer visualizes where our investments come from, where they are and what they achieve by providing pledge and contribution data, grant financial data, and results data at global, regional and country levels.

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Photo Credits: Vincent Becker, Andrew Esiebo, Atul Loke, Michael Ilako, Joubert Loots, John Rae