UK drawing up new action plan to tackle rising TB

Pallade Veneta - UK drawing up new action plan to tackle rising TB

HEALTH 02.04.2025

UK drawing up new action plan to tackle rising TB / Photo: NIKOLAY DOYCHINOV - AFP

Britain on Wednesday urged health experts and sufferers of tuberculosis (TB) to come forward to help draw up a new five-year action plan as it deals with record rises in the disease.

Change text size:

In 2023, England recorded its largest annual increase (11 percent) in cases since enhanced surveillance began in 2000.

Provisional figures for 2024 indicate a further 13-percent annual rise to 5,480 cases, reflecting a similar global trend.

The government is in the preliminary stages of preparing its new National Action Plan (2026–2031), which aims to improve the prevention, detection and control of TB in England.

It called for academic, health and social care professionals, public health experts, data scientists and those with lived experience of tuberculosis to share their insights.

"TB is curable and preventable, but the disease remains a serious public health issue in England," said Esther Robinson, head of the TB unit at the Health Security Agency (UKHSA).

While England is still considered a low-incidence country for TB, the rise in cases over recent years means that "we are now just below" the World Health Organization-defined low-incidence threshold of 10 cases per 100,000 population, Robinson said.

The government has said the highest incidence of the disease in the UK, 81.5 percent, is among people born outside the country.

Research in the UK has shown a clear link between TB and deprivation, including among the homeless, those addicted to drugs and alcohol, and people who have had contact with the criminal justice system.

"This call for evidence will help us develop an action plan that prioritises the most effective interventions to reverse this trend, focusing particularly on the needs of those most affected," Robinson added.

S.Urciuoli--PV

Seacliff Healthcare Seeks Specialist GP in Thirroul

Seacliff Healthcare, located in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, is seeking a Specialist General Practitioner to join its team. The practice, situated near Thirroul village station, currently supports five GPs and has capacity for additional medical staff with onsite pathology and allied health services.

India proposes more import entry points for drugs and medical devices

New Delhi The Union Health Ministry has proposed expanding the network of authorised import gateways for drugs, medical devices and cosmetics by adding several inland container depots, a special economic zone and an international airport to facilitate faster clearance and improve supply chain efficiency. The proposed amendment to Rule 43A of the Drugs Rules, 1945, seeks to include additional entry points in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Telangana and Karnataka, as reported by a gazette notification issued by the

Why Pregnancy Cost Estimates Fail: A Family’s $9,000 Surprise

Grace Griffin thought she had calculated her pregnancy expenses accurately until bills exceeded $9,000—more than triple her insurer’s estimate. Her experience highlights a systemic failure in healthcare transparency, as federal rules designed to provide accurate cost predictions remain unimplemented. With maternity billing codes set to change next year, experts urge parents to master insurance details and verify every bill.

Kuwait inspectors destroy 115 kilograms of unverified meat in Farwaniya

KUWAIT: The Public Authority for Food and Nutrition (PAFN) issued nine violation reports and destroyed 115 kilograms of meat of unknown origin during an inspection tour of food establishments in Farwaniya Governorate, the authority announced on Monday. The tour was carried out by the authority’s Farwaniya food inspection department.