This new report details how children with tuberculosis continue to be left behind in the global effort to end the disease. The report, TACTIC: Test, Avoid, Cure Tuberculosis in Children, surveyed tuberculosis policy guidelines in 14 countries* with a high burden of tuberculosis, revealing that many countries lag behind in aligning their national tuberculosis policies with the latest guidelines from the World Health Organization (WHO).
We urge all countries to update their national guidelines to be in line with the WHO recommendations for the care of children with tuberculosis, and to allocate the needed resources–along with developing clear plans with timelines to implement the policies and increase access to tuberculosis prevention, diagnosis and treatment of the children with tuberculosis in the country. International donors and technical support agencies must provide sufficient funding to countries to support paediatric tuberculosis policy reforms and implementation.
