OPTIMAL CONTROL ANALYSIS OF A TUBERCULOSIS MODEL

In this paper, an optimal control theory was applied to the tuberculosis (TB) model governed by system of nonlinear ordinary differential equations. The aim is to investigate the impact of treatment failure on the TB epidemic. An optimal control strategy is proposed to minimize the disease effect and cost incurred due to treatment failure. The existence and uniqueness of optimal controls are proved. The characterization of optimal paths is analytically derived using Pontryagin’s Minimum Principle. The control-induced model is then fitted using TB infected cases reported from the year 2010–2019 in East Shewa zone Oromia regional state, Ethiopia. Different simulation cases were performed to compare with analytical results. The simulation results show that the combined effect of awareness via various mass media and continuous supervision during the treatment period helps to reduce treatment failure and hence reduced the TB epidemic in the community.