Each year, we commemorate World Tuberculosis (TB) Day on 24 March to raise awareness about the devastating health, social and economic consequences of TB, and to step up efforts to end the TB epidemic.
In Western Pacific Region, an estimated 13 million lives have been saved and 23 million TB patients have successfully been treated since 2000. However, TB remains the deadliest infectious killer and a major public health issue. Each day, more than 250 people in the Western Pacific lose their lives to TB and close to 5,000 people fall ill with this preventable and curable disease.
The theme of World TB Day 2021 - ‘The Clock is Ticking’ - conveys the sense that the world is running out of time to act on the commitments to end TB. This is especially critical in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic that has put End TB progress at risk, and to ensure equitable access to prevention and care, reaching the unreached, towards achieving Universal Health Coverage.
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The clock is ticking! It’s time for action! We all have role to play. It’s time to End TB.
- This World TB Day calls on governments, affected communities, civil society organizations, health-care providers, and national and international partners to unite forces to reach the unreached. World TB Day 2021 will focus on: Ensuring access to essential TB services in the COVID-19 context and build back better to ensure no one is left behind.
- Scaling up systematic screening to expand early access to prevention & treatment.
- Promoting health equity and a rights-based & people-centered TB response in close collaboration with civil society.
- Building accountability to ensure commitments are kept.
