The Clock is Ticking: World TB Day 2021
World Tuberculosis Day, March 24th, is an opportunity to raise public awareness about the devastating health, social, and economic consequences of tuberculosis (TB). The day also galvanizes global efforts to end the global TB epidemic. This year's theme is 'The Clock is Ticking', a message that conveys the urgency needed by global leaders to act on their commitments to end TB.
Tuberculosis remains one of the world's deadliest diseases, with WHO reporting more than 10,000,000 TB cases in 2019, and 1,400,000 deaths. In Canada, the risk of developing active TB is very low for the general population, with the exception being much higher rates of active TB in Indigenous peoples, especially among Inuit communities. The rate of active TB among Inuit Nunangat is over 300 times the rate of Canadian-born non-Indigenous people, with Nunavut having the highest rate of TB in Canada. The number of newly diagnosed cases among Inuit people are similar to rates seen in Cameroon, Uganda, and India. This high infection rate is related to a multitude of factors including inadequate housing, food insecurity, poverty, social stigma, barriers to health care, tobacco use, and historical TB control practices in Canada.
The WHO strategy to eliminate TB in high-income countries emphasizes the importance of TB prevention and control in Indigenous communities. The Government of Canada is committed to working collaboratively with provincial and territorial partners and Indigenous leaders to address the health and socioeconomic factors contributing to the high incidence of TB. Key initiatives include the creation of a Tuberculosis Task Force in partnership with Inuit leaders, investments in rapid TB diagnostic technology, increasing access to Rifapentine, and establishing a community mobilization initiative to promote TB education and awareness.
If you would like to help support Inuit-specific solutions, visit the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami website here
