Addressing the growing challenge of TB in children and young people remains on the global agenda
The Union’s annual lung health conference has once again highlighted the urgent need to tackle TB in children and adolescents more effectively.
The conference, which was held in Bali, Indonesia from 12 to 16 November 2024 provided a global platform for discussions on tuberculosis (TB) and lung health, focusing on issues such as the stigma surrounding the disease, the challenges of diagnosing and treating TB, the importance of improving access to TB medicines.
The conference also captured the stories from TB survivors, expert insights and calls for more global action showed how much work is still needed.
One of the themes that emerged at the conference was the ongoing need to fight TB in children and adolescents.
Participants heard that dealing with TB in children and young people required more than better tests and treatment. It also needed strong community support and family involvement together with stakeholders who affect change in improving TB outcomes in children and policies
Paediatric TB remains an underrepresented area in TB research and treatment strategies. According to the South African National TB Programme, in 2021, 12,900 children under 15 were notified with TB in South Africa, accounting for 7% of total TB cases.
Part of the difficulty in diagnosing and treating TB in children is that they are often unable to produce the sputum samples needed, and many lack the ability to vocalise their symptoms. This leads to delays in treatment.
Sabine Verkuijl, Medical Officer at the World Health Organisation’s Global Tuberculosis Programme noted that “the world cannot address TB in children unless this disease is addressed in pregnant women, young people and new mothers.”
She further explained that world governments should adopt the “Roadmap towards ending TB among children and adolescents, third edition” report which outlines the key priorities and actions needed to accelerate progress towards TB in children and young people.
Discussing TB among young people, Evaline Kibuchi , health advocate, shared an example of a grade 12 student from Malawi who wrote his final exams in a hospital room while battling TB.
She stated that “this student’s experience is a stark reminder of the urgent need to address the impact of TB in young people, who, despite being largely neglected in global health policies, are incredibly vulnerable to the disease.”
One of the participants at the session raised the issue that a critical part of dealing with TB in children was reaching their parents. He urged the audience and policy makers to consider the laws and policies that are in place to ensure parental consent for testing and treatment. The challenge, according to the participant was that parents could refuse to allow their children to be tested or treated for TB.
Another audience commented that in many cases, parental denial or fear of stigma can prevent children from receiving the care they need as parents do not have adequate knowledge of TB.
Linked to TB in young people, the conference highlighted the importance of education in the fight against TB. Many countries have made efforts to raise awareness about TB through comic books and school-based education programmes. In Malawi, for example, a child wrote a letter to the Minister of Health as part of an assignment, which gained widespread attention and led to a significant policy change—children no longer have to pay for TB-related X-ray tests. This example serves as a reminder of the power of youth engagement and the need for creative, child-friendly approaches to educating young people about TB. If South Africa can learn from such innovative approaches, the country may be able to increase awareness and drive change in how TB is perceived and treated among children in communities and schools.