|
|
 |
The Poverty Cycle
The economic impact of tuberculosis is staggering. TB will rob the world's poorest countries of an estimated $1 to $3 trillion over the next 10 years
Drug-susceptible TB treatment is often free, but patients incur other costs, like transportation, hospital stays, and reduced working hours. The WHO calculates that the average TB patient loses three to four months of work-time and up to 30 percent of yearly household earnings. Poor, crowded living conditions also increase the risk of contagious infection. TB creates a vicious circle: the disease exacerbates poverty, which in turn increases the likelihood of contracting TB.
The World Bank estimates that loss of productivity attributable to TB is four to seven percent of some countries' GDP. Entire economies are affected, stifling human development on a large scale. Meanwhile, the burgeoning cost of TB medical care is a constant drain on those health systems whose infrastructures are least able to carry the load.
Given the direct link between TB and poverty, a faster, better cure could provide immediate benefits. A shorter drug regimen would reduce lost work-time and lessen the burden on patients. Healthcare systems would see dramatic savings: the infrastructure necessary for TB treatment represents the bulk of their costs — about $4 billion annually. A shorter regimen that eliminates many of the doctor visits could drastically cut those expenses. Funding could then be redirected to basic healthcare and increased resources for TB control. Whole economies would benefit, especially in nations that bear the brunt of the TB pandemic.
|
|
|
