Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the leading causes of death from an infectious disease in Asia-Pacific. In 2020, there were 5.8 million incident (new and relapsed) TB cases worldwide – a reduction from 7.1 million reported cases in 2019 due to the COVID‑19 pandemic indirect impact-, an estimated 1.3 million deaths amongst HIV-negative people globally (WHO, 2021[1]). TB cases and deaths occur disproportionately amongst men, but the burden of disease amongst women is also high as it remains amongst the top three killers for them in the world. Most cases of TB are curable if diagnosed early and the appropriate treatment is provided, therefore curtailing onward transmission of infection.