Strong general health care systems: a prerequisite to reach global tuberculosis control targets.
We argue that tuberculosis control cannot reach its proposed global targets without investment in an adequate network of accessible, effective and comprehensive health services. Lessons from the past are reviewed. They underscore that passive case-detection and adequate case management is the central technical strategy for tuberculosis control. There is no compelling evidence to support active case-detection in the general population. We elaborate on why a strong health care system is a prerequisite in the framework of case-detection and treatment. The necessity to improve quality and accessibility of general health services for ensuring early detection and subsequent cure is demonstrated. It is argued why the need for strong public health care system becomes even more eminent in the light of the tuberculosis/HIV dual epidemics and of the rapid growth of unregulated private-for-profit services. We finally examine the financial gaps for tuberculosis control and discuss the need for allocating more resources to the strengthening of general health care systems.
Mahendradhata
Yodi
Y
Department of Public Health, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium. ymahendradhata@itg.be
Lambert
Marie-Laurence
ML
Van Deun
Armand
A
Matthys
Francine
F
Boelaert
Marleen
M
van der Stuyft
Patrick
P
D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003140:Communicable Disease Control / Q000458:organization & administration; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017598:Efficiency, Organizational; D014943:Global Health; D006801:Humans; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*
D000995:Antitubercular Agents