TNMU Professor Participated in the15th Scientific Symposium on the Occasion of World Tuberculosis Day 2022
On May 18-19, 2022, the XV Scientific Symposium dedicated to the World Tuberculosis Day was held in Berlin (Germany), which was attended by Professor of the Department of Internal Medicine Propaedeutics and Phthisiology Leonid Hryshchuk.
The symposium was held at Akkon University for Human Sciences.
The organizers of the event noted that despite the fact that the successful containment of COVID-19 outbreak is primary now, chronic pandemics, in particular those caused by HIV or Mycobacterium tuberculosis, are still ongoing. Thus, the issue of an integrated approach to tuberculosis control remains if medical community is willing to succeed by 2030.
The symposium discussed new ways to address the comorbidity of HIV-TB and multidrug-resistant tuberculosis, including the implementation of all anti-tuberculosis strategies and investment in common efforts to improve national health systems under the WHO Universal Health Coverage (UHC) program. Current trends in TB research and control in the context of current epidemiological trends in Europe and around the world were studied and discussed with international partners.
The symposium brought together TB experts, WHO representatives, health policy makers, private companies, hospitals and other TB facilities from across Europe and the world, and discussed the most pressing issues in the near future. It was noted that the fight against tuberculosis should not be neglected even during an acute pandemic. Thus, the symposium had a scientific and political approach.
The first scientific day was devoted to the following topics:
– General overview, tuberculosis and policy.
– How to engage global health strategies to suppress TB by 2030.
The following speeches presented specific interest:
- A. Yedilbayev, Regional TB Advisor, WHO Europe, Copenhagen:
New TB action plan of the WHO Europe an Region 2023-2030: reinforcing efforts in reaching the global End TB Strategy targets.
- T.T. Pakasi, Acting Director of Communicable Disease Prevention and Control, Indonesia, National and regional strategies in TB prevention.
- S. Bivol, Strategic Advisor on Infectious Diseases, WHO Europe, Copenhagen:
- WHO approaches to fight TB and MDR-TB in times of pandemic and war.
In particular, the speackers noted that before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, tuberculosis was the most dangerous and deadly infectious disease in the world. It is currently “only” number 2 and still kills about 1.2 million people a year. An estimated 2.9 million people are infected without a diagnosis, which is the spread of the infection. Progress in the fight against tuberculosis has been and continues to be too slow. Blocking and redistributing capacity in healthcare systems around the world has pushed it even further. It resulted in the hundreds of thousands more TB victims than before the pandemic, and the detection rate is now like it used to be ten years ago.
In addition, tuberculosis is a major global threat in terms of drug resistance. The weakest and most vulnerable in societies often suffer the most, which is a worrying threat to the human right to health. Without a clear answer in the form of investment and prioritization, tuberculosis will develop in a dangerous spiral. One of the world’s most important tools to reverse this trend is the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, which provides 77% of all external funding worldwide for the fight against tuberculosis.
According to the latest available data, Ukraine ranks fourth in the incidence of tuberculosis in the WHO European Region and fifth in the world in terms of drug resistance. In Ukraine, there is an urgent need to support the rescue treatment of tuberculosis, including to avoid dangerous epidemiological developments.
On the first day, a Parliamentary Evening was held, at which the following speeches were presented:
- S. Albani, member of the German Bundestag (MdB): Welcome remarks (host).
- T. Ulrichs, IRIA & Akkon, Berlin, Chair and introductory lecture:
Acute and chronic pandemics: How the corona pandemic influenced TB control.
- A. Yedilbayev, WHO Europe, Copenhagen:
Why TB is still a problem in the WHO European Region?
Speech at the Parliamentary Dinner by A. Yedilbayev, Regional Adviser on Tuberculosis (WHO Europe, Copenhagen)
The next day of the symposium was devoted to the problems of tuberculosis control in different countries, timely diagnosis, analysis of clinical cases.
Among the speeches of scientists, specific interest was presented by the reports from Ghana, Georgia, Moldova:
- C.D. Badzi, University of Ghana: Using Mobile Technology for Monitoring Tuberculosis Treatment among Women with Tuberculosis in the Greater Accra Region, Ghana.
- T. Avaliani, NTP of Georgia, Tbilisi: The Management of TB control and research in Georgia.
- E. Kokhreidze, NTP of Georgia, Tbilisi: Influence of Covid 19 on tuberculosis detection in Georgia, before and after.
- V. Crudu, National TB Reference Laboratory Phthisiopneumology Institute, Chisinau, Moldova: Evolution and emergence of multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Moldova.
Leonid Hryshchuk’s report on “Impact of the COVID – 19 pandemic on the epidemic situation with tuberculosis in Ukraine” was presented at the symposium.
The report notes that the situation with tuberculosis in Ukraine in 2020-2021 was related to the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the results of the analysis of the incidence of active tuberculosis in Ukraine in 2020-2021 compared to the same period in 2019, the figure decreased significantly.
To address the situation, reducing the prevalence of tuberculosis, expanding early detection and diagnosis of tuberculosis and ensuring effective treatment in Ukraine in 2019 adopted the State Strategy for TB Care for 2020-2023, aimed at creating a new model for prevention, early detection and providing medical care for patients with tuberculosis until 2023. Ukraine also seeks to achieve the goals set out in the WHO Global Strategy to Combat Tuberculosis by 2035.
The implementation of the Strategy has yielded relevant results. Thus, a number of modern changes have been introduced to overcome tuberculosis – innovative diagnostic methods, short treatment regimens, the introduction of a model of outpatient treatment with the ability for patients to continue a full life without isolation.
And if for the last 2 years the main barrier to the detection and elimination of the disease has been the COVID-19 pandemic, today it is aggresive criminal actions of the Russian army. In particular, there are certain peculiarities of medical care in Ukraine in conditions of military aggression. Due to shelling and bombing, Ukrainian patients are left without access to examination and treatment, and medical infrastructure is being destroyed. Today, the principle of extraterritoriality has become effective – TB patients can be treated in any part of the country where they have been evacuated to from dangerous regions, and if someone suspects TB symptoms, they can be consulted at the nearest TB facility.
Reports from Indonesia, India and Mexico were also presented at this session:
– E. Ghozali, N. Amalia, S. Sunarti, UKMT, Indonesia: TOSS, a community-based movement to combat TB in Indonesia.
– R.A. Kikon, India: Training community health workers to support in prevention and control of TB in rural areas in Nagaland, India.
– K.N. Guitierrez Torres: Current situation of the tuberculosis-HIV/AIDS binomial in Mexico.
The final 5th session was devoted to modern methods of tuberculosis treatment. Reports on new anti-TB drugs Bedaquiline and Delamanid were presented:
– V. Cox, Johnson & Johnson Global Public Health: title to follow (bedaquiline).
– M. Dara, Otsuka Global Health Alliance: Treatment of drug resistant TB, Otsuka’s global health perspective.
The resolution of the Symposium included the following important tasks:
- put the sustainability of health systems and global control of the pandemic, including the fight against tuberculosis, at the heart of its efforts and seriously fund it, in particular through the successful replenishment of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria this autumn,
- to support the work of both state and non-state organizations in providing medical care to the population of Ukraine,
- to prepare better the international community for future health crises so that the fight against tuberculosis and other dangerous communicable diseases does not face further setbacks, especially through the successful negotiation of a pandemic treaty guaranteeing human rights principles with the participation of executing countries and vulnerable groups,
- to continue research on innovative and cost-effective treatments and diagnostics, and prioritize research on innovative and cost-effective treatments, diagnoses, and vaccines for poverty-related diseases.
Leonid Hryshchuk expresses his sincere gratitude and appreciation to Professors Timo Ulrichs and Gabi Feldmann for inviting him to the Symposium and supporting his visit to Berlin.