Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) – After the spread of COVID-19, the focus of health systems around the world has focused on combating and containing its spread. According to experts, this may affect the growth of infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, from which an average of 1.5 million people die around the world in year. According to experts, due to coronavirus, tuberculosis infection may increase by 6.3 million cases, and mortality by 1.4 million.

Scientists associate the main reasons for the possible increase in the spread of tuberculosis with the following factors.

First, it is a decrease in the provision of medical services to patients with tuberculosis. According to the UN, about 80% of programs to combat tuberculosis and other infectious diseases around the world report disruptions in the provision of medical services due to restrictive measures related to the coronavirus. According to WHO, at least 121 countries have reported a decrease in the number of TB patients attending clinics since the start of the pandemic.

Secondly, it is a decrease in the diagnosis of tuberculosis. A decline in diagnostic capacity may have the greatest impact on the spread of tuberculosis, with dire consequences. According to the WHO, the pandemic has led to a sharp decrease in the number of TB diagnoses in many countries, for example, by 70% in Indonesia, by 20% in China, by 75%. in India, which is a wake-up call for the whole world.

Third, it is emergence of drug-resistant forms of tuberculosis against the background of increased intake of various drugs. To overcome the emergence of drug-resistant forms of tuberculosis, WHO in June 2020 has changed its recommendations for the treatment of drug-resistant tuberculosis. Instead of 20 months of injections, patients can now take pills for 9 to 11 months. This change means that patients do not need to travel to clinics that are increasingly closed due to quarantine.

Fourth, there is a decrease in the production of tests for tuberculosis due to the focus of pharmaceutical companies on the production of test systems for the determination of COVID-19. Experts point out that COVID-19 tests are much more lucrative - around US$10, compared to 18-30 cents for a rapid test for malaria and tuberculosis.

In general, the possible increase in the spread of tuberculosis is a kind of signal for health systems around the world and requires attention to other diseases that pose no less threat than COVID-19.