The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in extraordinary measures around the world to contain, slow the pace, or reduce the impact of the virus in form of partial or total lockdowns and other country context-specific restrictions. As the coronavirus now spreads through the African continent, there are concerns about the potential for higher incidents of severe forms of COVID-19 in younger patients, due to co-morbidities such as TB, HIV or severe malnutrition and other and associated endemic conditions that affect the immune system.
The Union, a global network of organisations focused on all aspects of tuberculosis and lung diseases, warns the COVID-19 pandemic must not divert attention from the needs of children and adolescents in TB-endemic African countries. Highlighting that if resources are diverted away from child and adolescent tuberculosis (TB) programmes in order to fight COVID-19, the consequences for the estimated 400,000 children and adolescents in the African region needing TB and multidrug-resistant TB care each year could be devastating.
This important statement made by The Union (TB), calls on donors and partners to continue to support TB care and prevention responses – including a focused effort on child and adolescent TB. Also calling on Ministries of Health to keep TB and comorbidities on the agenda during the COVID-19 response.