Today is March 24th. International Tuberculosis Day is celebrated every year on this day by organizing various programs around the world. This day is celebrated with the aim of raising public awareness against tuberculosis disease, arranging treatment in a simple and easy way.

This year's theme of the day  Yes, we can end tuberculosis. Commitment of investment and certainty of service delivery, today's need has been decided. This day has also provided an opportunity to remember the commitment, efforts, and achievements made for the end of the tuberculosis epidemic. 

The National Tuberculosis Control Center has prepared to organize various public awareness programs on the occasion of the day. Thousands of people are affected in Nepal due to this disease. The Center is committed to our common and collective resolve to end tuberculosis worldwide.  Director of

center Dr. In the statement issued by Shriram Tiwari, it is mentioned that tuberculosis (TB) is a communicable disease affecting millions of people worldwide and it remains a public health problem in Nepal. According to the World Health Organization in 2023, there were an estimated 68,000 new cases of tuberculosis in Nepal, with a rate of 229 per 100,000 population. Similarly, it is estimated that 16 thousand died due to tuberculosis.  whose death rate was 54 per one lakh population. 

During the same period, the National Tuberculosis Program registered 40,776 people affected by tuberculosis for treatment. 39 percent of them were women and 61 percent were men. There were 756 people affected by drug-resistant tuberculosis. Among those registered for treatment, 72 percent had pulmonary tuberculosis and 28 percent had tuberculosis affecting other organs outside the lungs. Likewise, the treatment success rate is 92 percent. Despite significant progress, Nepal still faces many challenges to end tuberculosis, the center said. 

There is a big difference between the estimated number of people affected by tuberculosis and the number of people affected by tuberculosis who have come under treatment. About 40 percent of people affected by tuberculosis could not be brought under the scope of treatment. Lack of sufficient resources According to the "National Tuberculosis Program's Five-Year Tuberculosis Strategic Plan 2021/22 to 2025/26", the TB program's budget for five years is 192 million US dollars, but only 100 million (estimated) is available. That is 43 percent budget deficit.  

Because of tuberculosis, the patient's family has more financial burden. According to the National Tuberculosis Patient Expenditure Survey-2024, 51 percent of people affected by tuberculosis and their families in Nepal have more financial burden due to this disease. 

The Center has made it clear that further progress has not been achieved due to the inability of all sectors to cooperate to end the disease. In order to end the disease, it is necessary to have an important contribution from the health sector, other sectors besides health such as: education, labor and employment, social security and others. Apart from this, the involvement of the private sector and the community is equally important.  It said that the center is constantly refining its efforts to solve the

challenge. Tuberculosis treatment services are available free of charge in 6,241 health institutions and diagnostic services in 800 health institutions throughout Nepal. 

Rapid disease testing service has reached 117 health institutions in 67 districts. Through this test, the drug resistance status of a person affected by tuberculosis can be known. According to the center, treatment services for drug-resistant tuberculosis patients are being provided through 29 treatment centers and 98 treatment sub-centers. Provides an injection-free, short-term, six-month treatment regimen for drug-resistant patients. 

Keeping in mind the federal structure of the country, as a latest effort by Nepal, the Tuberculosis Free Nepal Campaign has been extended to 149 local levels to sustainably speed up efforts to end tuberculosis by developing leadership, responsibility and ownership at the local level. Active detection of tuberculosis patients in the community has been started by AI connected digital x-ray machine. 

Important studies such as the National Tuberculosis Sixth Drug Resistance Survey and the First Tuberculosis Patient Survey have been completed. Every year, skill enhancement training on tuberculosis prevention, diagnosis, and treatment is conducted. Although these efforts are effective, there is much room for improvement to achieve the goal of ending TB. The center has said that the rest. 

In the coming days, it is aimed to increase the identification of people affected by tuberculosis, to provide a leadership role to the local level for gathering and mobilizing the necessary resources and resources, and to provide integrated services. Similarly, it is necessary to strengthen the health system and ensure quality treatment services, as well as strengthen the involvement of the private sector and provide social protection to people affected by tuberculosis. A special priority has been determined to increase coordination and cooperation.