Kathmandu: World TB Day is being observed across the world today, with Nepal also organizing various awareness programmes. The Ministry of Health and Population and healthcare professionals are leading efforts to raise public awareness about tuberculosis (TB).
Under the National Strategic Plan to End Tuberculosis, Nepal aims to significantly reduce TB cases and deaths. The country plans to lower the incidence rate from 238 per 100,000 population in 2020/21 to 81 by 2025/26, and reduce the mortality rate from 58 to 23 per 100,000. Nepal has also set long-term goals to end TB by 2035 and eliminate it by 2050, while ensuring zero catastrophic cost for patients.
This year’s theme, “Yes! We can end TB!”, highlights hope and urgency in tackling the disease. According to the World Health Organization, strong leadership, increased investment, adoption of new recommendations, and multisectoral collaboration are key to ending TB.
Globally, the WHO reports that 83 million lives have been saved since 2000 through TB treatment. However, in 2024 alone, 10.7 million people fell ill with TB and 1.23 million died from the disease. In Nepal, around 67,000 TB patients were confirmed in the same year.
(RSS)
