The TB epidemic from 1992 to 2002

Abstract

In 1992, less than 20 countries were implementing a sound TB control strategy. At the same time, TB was being resurrected as a major public health problem world-wide after two decades of neglect. Awareness of upward trends in the industrialized countries and MDR-TB outbreaks in large cities were driving forces behind the re-emergence of TB in the international health agenda. New evidence, and consequent estimates, suggested that the situation in developing countries, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, was deteriorating rapidly. Similarly, major increases were observed in the former USSR. It was estimated that some 7-8 million new cases and 2-3 million deaths were occurring annually in the world. The global targets of reaching 85% cure rates and 70% case detection among infectious cases were established by the World Health Assembly in 1991. Both the WHO declaration of TB as a global emergency in 1993 and the launch of the five-element DOTS strategy in 1994-1995 resulted in countries adopting DOTS in encouraging numbers. In fact, in 2000, 148 countries including all 22 highest burden countries (HBC) responsible for 80% of cases world-wide, had adopted the new DOTS strategy. Nevertheless, progress in case detection remained slow due to incomplete geographical coverage or need to widen detection and notification capacity with innovative schemes. The major constraints to TB control became increasingly clear, and a global Stop TB Partnership was eventually established to address such constraints. A Global DOTS Expansion Plan revealed the needs and the gaps to achieve the global targets in 2005. Today, in 2002, the top priority remains that of expanding DOTS, as rapidly as possible, using a number of new approaches to increase case detection and notification while maintaining high cure rates. These must involve collaboration with the private sector and communities, as well as strengthening of primary care services. Similarly, crucial is the rapid identification of solutions to TB/HIV and MDR-TB.