WHO launches new 5-year roadmap to prevent and treat TB in children and adolescents

14 November 2023 | Paris -- The World Health Organization (WHO) launched the third edition of the Roadmap towards ending TB in children and adolescents, along with partners and civil society. The roadmap outlines an ambitious five-year plan with 10 key actions to improve the prevention, treatment, and care of TB in children and adolescents.

Children and adolescents continue to experience a disproportionate burden of TB. WHO’s recently released Global TB Report, highlights that an estimated 1.25 million children and young adolescents (aged 0-14 years) fell ill with TB in 2022, which is 12% of the global TB burden. Almost half were under 5 years of age. In the same year, more than 200,000 children and young adolescents died due to TB, representing 16% of all TB deaths. Among deaths in HIV-negative children and young adolescents 76% occurred in children under the age of 5 years. Almost all the children and young adolescents who died of TB did not have access to treatment.

The full press release on the Roadmap launch event with the accompanying materials can be accessed here.