Background
Tuberculosis (TB) is a communicable disease is a public health concern that is a major cause of ill health
and one of the leading causes of death worldwide. TB was the leading cause of death from a single
infectious agent, ranking above HIV/AIDS unitl the onset of Covid in 2019.
TB is caused by the bacillus Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which is spread when people who are sick with
TB expel bacteria into the air either through a cough, or when someone laughs or even sings and expels
air infected with the TB bacteria. The disease typically affects the lungs (pulmonary TB) but can affect
other parts of the body apart from the hair nails and teeth anamel. TB is largely a social economicl
problem which is determined by factors such as poverty, undernutrition, HIV infection, smoking and
diabetes.
About 90% of the people who develop the disease are adults, with more cases among men than
women. About a quarter of the world’s population has been infected with M. tuberculosis. TB is curable
and preventable. About 85% of people who develop TB disease can be successfully treated with a 6-
month drug regimen.
IN 2020 along, an estimated 9.9 million people fell ill with TB globally and about 1.4 million lost their
lives. About 84% of TB deaths were among HIV-negative people. Of the deaths among HIV-negative
people, 53% were men, 32% were women and 16% were children aged less than 15.
Kenya is listed among the 30 countries that contribute to 80% of the total world TB burden. In 2020, the
country lost about 21 000 people to the disease which was a drop from 32 000 in the previous year.
Even with such drop in mortality Kenya still ranks high in the list of countries with high TB/HIV burden.