|
Overview |
 |
 |
|
World TB Day is one important occasion on which we get the opportunity to raise our voices and take actions to stop further unnecessary human suffering from TB, a totally preventable and treatable disease. This year’s global theme of World Tuberculosis Day is: “Actions for life, towards a world free of tuberculosis”. The thematic focus for Day is built on the Global Plan to Stop TB 2006-2015 focusing on 10 specific action points. These Actions are calling on people to Act, Commit, Collaborate, Achieve, Invest, Treat, Reach, Innovate, Advocate and, Hope. All are Actions for life. This year and for ten years to come all our efforts and our directed actions in the Region are going to synchronized with the global efforts, with all aiming to one day, not too far from today, we all live in a world free of tuberculosis.
French slogan: Agir pour la vie. Vers un monde sans tuberculose
|
|
|
Overview |
|
|
|
This event covered a variety of issues including frontline TB care providers, patient and TB-affected communities, TB/HIV, multidrug-resistant TB, community based DOTS, TB and poverty, public-private partnerships and business initiatives.
Activities were as diverse as they were numerous and included media events, publicity campaigns in television, radio and press, fundraisers, theater and musical events, photography, poster and art competitions, special events for TB ambassadors, film showings, educational programmes, trainings, seminars, marches and rallies. |
|
Disease burden |
|
|
|
In the majority of developing countries, almost all children are infected and become immune against hepatitis A virus by age six. However, with development this early life exposure changes and the shifting of infection and disease to older age groups is observed.
It is estimated that over two billion people worldwide have been infected with hepatitis B virus. Of these, approximately 360 million individuals are chronically infected and at risk of serious illness and death, mainly from liver cirrhosis and cancer. The global burden of disease due to cirrhosis of the liver and hepatocellular carcinoma is high (around 2% of all deaths) and expected to increase over the next 2 decades.
WHO estimates that around 4.3 million persons are infected with hepatitis B virus and 800 000 persons are infected with hepatitis C virus each year in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. It is estimated that 15 323 deaths due to hepatitis B occurred in 2008.
Most of these infections are acquired in the health-care setting and approximately 10%–20% of infections are acquired at birth due to perinatal hepatitis b virus transmission from mothers with chronic hepatitis B virus infection. It is estimated that approximately 17 million persons in the Region have chronic hepatitis C virus infection.
Studies indicate that more than 75% of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma in the Region is attributable to chronic hepatitis B virus or hepatitis C virus infection. The cost to treat patients with chronic hepatitis B virus or hepatitis C virus infection far outweighs the cost of implementing prevention programmes. |
|
|
Disease burden |
|
|
|
In 2000, WHO estimated that Hib is responsible for 8.13 million of serious illnesses and approximately 371,000 deaths per year.
In 2008, total number of children who died from Hib was estimated at 199,000 deaths globally, dropping from an estimated number of around 371,000 in 2000, mainly due to meningitis and pneumonia.. In 2008 as well, pneumonia was responsible for about 19% of deaths in children aged less than five years in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. Of these, 20–25% of deaths are caused by Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib). Hib diseases accounted for about 900 000 cases, resulting in more than 48 000 deaths in the same year.
Complications of Hib meningitis include blindness, deafness, mental retardation, learning disabilities, and death. The case-fatality rate of Hib meningitis is about 5%. Severe neurologic sequelae occur in 10% to 15% and deafness in 15% to 20% of survivors.
Related documents
Global literature reveiw of Haemophilus influenzae type b and Streptococcus pneumoniae invasive disease among children less than five years of age 1980-2005. [pdf 3.52 Mb]
Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) meningitis in the pre-vaccine era : a global review of incidence, age distributions, and case-fatality rates, 2002. [pdf 813.85 Kb]
Estimated Hib and p+neumococcal deaths for children under 5 years of age, 2008 |
|
Disease burden |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Page 20 of 93 |
