Geneva-Sana
The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has warned that hundreds of thousands of people will die of tuberculosis because they do not receive the necessary treatment because the health care system in the poorest countries has been affected by the Corona virus pandemic.
"Excess deaths from HIV and tuberculosis can exceed those caused by the Corona virus," said Peter Sands, executive director of the Geneva-based fund, according to what Reuters reported.
He added, "The number of people being treated for tuberculosis in 2020 decreased by about one million people compared to 2019, and I am afraid that this will inevitably mean the deaths of hundreds of thousands... Although the death toll is not known precisely so far, the increasing deaths as a result of the relapse of the fight against diseases such as tuberculosis or AIDS is higher Of the deaths of the Corona virus itself in some poor countries, such as parts of the Sahel region in Africa,” noting that he expects greater damage this year due to the spread of the delta strain.
The Fund's annual report for 2020, issued today, showed that the number of people receiving treatment for drug-resistant tuberculosis in the countries in which the Fund operates decreased by 19 percent, and AIDS prevention programs and services recorded a decrease of 11 percent.
The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria is a coalition of governments, companies, civil society and the private sector that invests more than $4 billion annually to combat the three diseases.