Around 10 million people developed tuberculosis (TB) in 2019. TB is the leading cause of death by an infectious disease globally, causing 1.4 million deaths last year – although in 2020 deaths due to Covid-19 will likely surpass deaths caused by TB.
While there are many factors contributing to the high rates of TB disease and deaths, failing to diagnose many people living with TB and provide them with appropriate treatment is a key contributor to the spread of TB and the high number of deaths.
“Without early and accurate diagnosis and rapid linkage to care, TB continues to spread in households and communities, and people with TB are put at greater risk of morbidity and mortality from the disease,” writes David Branigan of the NGO Treatment Action Group (TAG) in the organisation’s recently published