WHO Reports 10% Rise in Tuberculosis Infections Among Children in Europe in 2023

ISLAMABAD: The World Health Organization (WHO) reported on Monday that tuberculosis (TB) infections among children in its European region rose by 10% in 2023, signaling ongoing transmission and the urgent need for public health measures to curb the spread.

In 2023, more than 7,500 cases of TB were reported among children under the age of 15, marking an increase of over 650 cases compared to 2022. WHO’s European region includes 53 countries in Europe and Central Asia.

Hans Henri Kluge, WHO’s Regional Director for Europe, expressed concern, saying, “The worrying rise in children with TB serves as a reminder that progress against this preventable and curable disease remains fragile.”

Askar Yedilbayev, regional TB advisor for WHO’s European region, suggested that the increase in cases might reflect improved diagnoses but could also be attributed to heightened cross-border movement due to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, with both countries being among the highest disease burden areas in the region.

Children under 15 years accounted for 4.3% of all TB cases in the European Union, according to a joint report by WHO and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. This marks the third consecutive year of increasing TB cases in this age group, a trend Yedilbayev called a “worrisome scenario.”

WHO has raised concerns about funding cuts from global donors, warning that these reductions could reverse progress in controlling TB infections, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. These cuts threaten TB programs in non-EU nations, contributing to the rise of hard-to-treat TB strains.

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Yedilbayev further noted that the funding cuts have harmed local TB response efforts and disrupted the availability of diagnostics and treatments.

TB remains one of the top 10 causes of death globally and primarily affects the lungs, spreading through coughing or sneezing.