India accounts for a large part of the world’s TB burden. As highlighted by Dr Suneetha Narreddy, Infectious Diseases Expert, Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad, during a webinar organised by CNS, there are approximately 2.6 million cases of TB annually in India. Unfortunately, nearly 1 million cases are missed every year on account of poor notification, especially from the private sector where 50% of patients are treated, as well as the absence of standardised diagnostic and treatment practices.
There are 9.6 million new cases of TB and 1.5 million deaths due to it, annually. Also, an estimated 500,000 people develop multi-drug resistant TB (MDR-TB) every year. As highlighted by Paul Jensen, Director of Policy and Strategy, International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union), in a webinar organized by CNS, TB, despite being fully curable, kills more people than any other infectious disease in the world.
According to the World Malaria Report 2015, malaria cases and deaths have declined over the last 15 years. However, the disease still claims 400,000 lives every year, primarily in Africa. Malaria control and elimination poses several challenges that need to be addressed in a comprehensive manner.
India has over 2 million new cases of TB—a disease that is treatable and curable— every year. Yet, many succumb to it and many encounter drug resistance. A person with multi drug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) is not responsive to at least one of the two main TB drugs. Studies have shown that MDR-TB is found in approximately 3% of new TB cases and between 12%-17% of re-treatment cases. In India given the high burden of TB, this translates into large numbers in absolute terms.
Globally there are one billion people who use tobacco, 80% of whom live in low- and middle- income countries. Tobacco use is estimated to claim the lives of over 6 million people every year. An additional 600,000 lose their lives to second-hand smoke. In fact using tobacco is the single biggest preventable risk factor for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) which are responsible for nearly 63% of all premature deaths globally.
 |
| Photo credit: Urvashi Prasad |
It is estimated that India has around 30 million people living with asthma. Approximately 25% of the Indian population is suffering from allergy and 5% are living with asthma. As highlighted by Dr Jeremiah Chakaya Muhwa, Member, Board of Directors, International Union Against TB and Lung Disease (The Union) during a recent webinar organised by CNS and The Union, asthma is often not taken seriously. He went on to add that the condition is frequently either not diagnosed
or not treated even when diagnosed, resulting in several social,
economic, psychological and physical problems.
.JPG)