Short communication
Pediatric TB detection in the era of COVID-19

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijtb.2021.04.015Get rights and content

Highlights

  • The impact of COVID-19 epidemic on overall Tuberculosis (TB) notification is well documented; however, nothing is known about the specific impact of COVID-19 epidemic on detection of Pediatric TB in India, especially, during lockdown and unlock period.

  • During overall lockdown period, a total 2953 Pediatric TB cases were reported compared to 3888 cases during the same period of 2019, a reduction of 24%.

  • However, more worrying reduction of 36% was observed during post-lockdown period (June to September, 2020); a total of 6251 Pediatric TB cases were reported compared to 9821 cases in 2019; total 3570 less cases in absolute numbers.

  • In addition to decrease in Pediatric TB detection, the data shows serious disruption in providing BCG vaccine that provides protection against childhood TB. Overall, at the national level more than three million fewer children were vaccinated for BCG during 2020 compared to 2019.

Abstract

The effect of COVID-19 and measures in response to it on human lives, including healthcare, was enormous. The necessary healthcare services including communicable diseases, such as Tuberculosis (TB) were badly affected. Here an attempt has been made to trace the number of notified Pediatric TB cases during and after COVID-19 lockdown and unlock period, and then compared with the same period of previous year. The epidemic data on notified pediatric TB cases for 2019 and 2020 were extracted from the Health Management Information System (HMIS) database. The absolute numbers of monthly pediatric TB notifications from January to September for the year 2020 were compared to 2019, and the percentage decrease was estimated. The HMIS data shows that there is a significant decrease in pediatric TB notifications during COVID-19 epidemic in India. Especially, when the lockdown and related restrictions in response to COVID-19 was imposed, notifications were significantly decreased compared to the same period during the previous year. Even, the reduction numbers of pediatric TB notifications during post-lockdown are still more worrying. Though, little improvements were observed suddenly after lockdown was removed, but then-after again consisted decrease was reported; and these numbers again substantially lower than the numbers of previous year. Adequate measures to diagnose, control, and prevent TB focusing young children, should be implemented simultaneously with response to COVID-19 pandemic. Further, effective steps should be taken to remove the fear arising due COVID-19 pandemic among masses, so that the healthcare seeking may be improved.

Keywords

COVID-19
Pediatric
TB notifications
Lockdown
India

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