COVID pandemic is causing higher risk for TB among the poor and marginalized: WHO

Each year World Tuberculosis Day is observed on March 24 to commemorates the date when Dr. Robert Koch announced his discovery of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in in 1882.

The theme the observance this year is 'The Clock is Ticking' meant to highlight the concern that the Covid 19 pandemic has delayed the progress of curing TB.

“The effects of COVID-19 go far beyond the death and disease caused by the virus itself. The disruption to essential services for people with TB is just one tragic example of the ways the pandemic is disproportionately affecting some of the world’s poorest people, who were already at higher risk for TB,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Chief.

"For centuries, people with TB have been among the most marginalized and vulnerable. COVID-19 has intensified the disparities in living conditions and ability to access services both within and between countries...We must now make a renewed effort to work together to ensure that TB programmes are strong enough to deliver during any future emergency – and look for innovative ways to do this,” stated Dr Tereza Kasaeva, Director of WHO’s Global TB Programme.

It is bacillus that causes tuberculosis (TB) and we must have awareness about adverse impact of TB and safeguard ourselves against it. This year, importance of wearing the mask most time of the day is being emphasized to mitigate the spread of tuberculosis along with that of COVID-19.