World Tuberculosis Day is being observed today by organising various programmes in Nepal. The day is used to generate public awareness and amplify the urgency of ending tuberculosis. TB is one of the fatal infectious diseases that continues to devastate millions globally, inflicting severe health, social and economic consequences.

The National TB Control Centre organised public awareness programmes on the occasion in Thimi of Kathmandu, which was inaugurated by Health Minister Prateek Paudel. Rowa Shrestha, Director of the German-Nepal TB Project under the aegis of the Nepal Anti-TB Association, informed that with global funding, anti-TB programmes are strategically being run in 44 districts of Nepal.

According to WHO data, tuberculosis remains a public health problem in Nepal, with an estimated 68,000 new TB cases and an incidence rate of 229 per 100,000 population in 2023. The mortality rate is 54 per 100,000 population. During the year, the National Tuberculosis Program registered 40,776 TB patients for treatment. Of these, 39 percent were women and 61 percent were men. Furthermore, 756 people were diagnosed with drug-resistant TB.

Tuberculosis treatment services are available free of charge in 6,241 health institutions with diagnostic services in 800 health institutions across Nepal. Rapid testing services for the disease have reached 117 health institutions in 67 districts.