Tuberculosis control in the South-East Asia region: annual TB report 2014

All 11 Member States of the WHO South-East Asia Region have sustained country-wide access to DOTS. Each year, more than 2 million TB cases are registered for treatment, and the treatment success rate among new smear-positive pulmonary TB cases has remained above 85% since 2005, and was 89% in the 2011 cohort. The TB mortality rate has decreased by more than 40% since 1990 and the South-East Asia Region is on track to achieve the global target of a 50% reduction by 2015. The decline in prevalence is observed in all Member States, and in some it is over 50% since 1990. Approximately 39% of the estimated global number of cases occurs in the Region (based on current estimates) as well as almost 30% of the multidrug resistant TB burden. The collaboration between TB and HIV control programmes is improving. Many of the constraints to effective implementation of TB control services in Member States relate to the need to strengthen and better finance national health systems in general, many of which are already overstretched in terms of both infrastructure and staffing. To enable universal access and continue scaling-up of critical interventions, there is an urgent need to sustain current financial commitments and to advocate for additional financial resources.