The UNGA should adopt a “Unified” approach to address TB and antimicrobial resistance 

Drug-resistant TB is a serious disease that spreads through air and becomes the root cause of many deaths.  It’s part of efforts to fight antimicrobial resistance. The United Nations General Assembly( UNGA) can assist in this matter. It calls for efforts to cope up with both complications together. 

Tuberculosis is one harmful infectious disease that spreads through air and makes people sick. According to WHO it is the main reason behind the large number of deaths from recent years. 

The UNGA is holding a meeting on Wednesday 15, May. The agenda of this meeting is to discuss how to deal with antibiotic resistance. It is important for UNGA to also include TB in their plan on how to fight with this drug-resistant disease. 

If we talk about antibiotic resistant infections then DR-TB is on the top that causes a large number of deaths worldwide. In 2022, over 410,000 people around the world got multidrug-resistant TB, a severe form of DR-TB, leading to 160,000 deaths. Zoonotic is the kind of TB that affects animals and can spread to humans. There are approximately 140,000 people who get zoonotic TB each year, and the bacteria causing it are naturally resistant to an antibiotic commonly used to treat TB.

The stakeholder hearing is an important chance for U.N. member states to renew their commitment to fighting antibiotic resistance (AMR). 

One of the important tasks for UNGA is to prioritize DR-TB in the AMR agenda. Also it is important to integrate TB as a key part of the global response to AMR.

What is the intersection between TB and AMR?

One of the major examples of intersection between infectious disease and AMR is the TB and its drug resistant form. 

One of the major reasons that make the TB and antibiotic resistance crisis complicated is the spread of DR- TB. 

According to WHO only 2 out of 5 people having DR-TB respond to the treatment and remaining 3 live with such disease and die at last. The mortality rate of DR-TB is above 50% and it spreads through air. Drug resistance often develops when TB patients get inadequate or incomplete treatment.

There are many factors to keep in mind when dealing with TB patients. They need extra nutrition, care and support. Without all of these factors recovery is slow and new resistance can develop. It’s also important to prevent drug resistance among mobile populations like refugees and migrant workers.

Even wealthy countries close to eliminating TB are affected when a few people get sick with drug-resistant TB, especially financially.

People with DR-TB is increasing day by day due to lack of action from the government. Most people become the victim of this disease due to breathing in infected air. Besides the general problem of TB around the world, DR-TB is spreading more. One of the hurdles in the treatment of DR-TB is money shortage. Lack of money stops the government from developing new TB treatments. This makes TB a global health risk.

What are the key tasks for UNGA?

For the treatment of DR-TB, the United Nation General Assembly can lead the way by supporting key actions.

• DR- Tuberculosis should be the major indicator in nation and AMR plans. It is important to track the TB progress. It can also help to keep an eye on the treatment progress that prevent drug-resistant strains
• It is important to collect money of about $22 billion by 2027 for TB efforts. Also invest  $5 billion yearly in TB research and development
• Focus on Vaccine development is also important. These vaccines can fight AMR infections and make the human immune system strong. 
• Make TB services a part of universal health coverage strategies to combat AMR. Ensure ongoing diagnosis, prevention, treatment, affordable antibiotics, surveillance, and research. Support a “One Health” approach that connects human, animal, and environmental health
• Make a target to treat about 45 million people from 2023 to 2027.
• Ensure the AMR response respects human rights, promotes gender equality, and is free of stigma. Focus on affected communities and vulnerable groups, allocating resources to involve them in AMR programs
• Create an independent panel to provide evidence and guidance on AMR, similar to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Include TB in this panel and any related accountability mechanisms from the upcoming AMR high-level meeting