Civil Society Organisations (CBOs) are calling for the integration of other national development sectors in the fight against tuberculosis.

In a statement, the CBOs believe bringing on board eight ministries will boost efforts that have so far seen significant drop of TB incidence and mortality.

Led by Stop TB Partnership Kenya chief executive Evelyn Kibuchi, the CSOs say by integrating the ministries, the country will be responding to the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) End TB Strategy, which includes a vision; goal, and three high-level indicators with corresponding targets for 2030 and 2035 and milestones for 2020 and 2025.

“Reliable measurement of progress in reducing TB incidence, deaths and catastrophic costs is essential,” she noted. The CSOs want the Ministry of Education to address TB in learning institutions by rolling out programmes that contain educative and awareness materials among students, who will then form a pool of active ambassadors for the disease across the country.

In the Transport sector, the CSOs want the Ministry to handle TB within their jurisdiction. “We are advocating that operators of public service vehicles and trains, to distribute educative materials that sensitise about prevention, laying emphasis on use of protective equipment such as wearing face masks,” Kibuchi said.

The Ministry of Agriculture is being urged in this proposal, to ensure sufficient food to combat malnutrition, especially after a 2019 WHO study found out that approximately 45 per cent of deaths in children under the age of five were attributable to undernutrition, which may be acute or chronic, and categorised as moderate or severe.

“Undernutrition increases the risk of TB and TB can cause or worsen undernutrition,” the study indicated.

Another study estimated that 26 per cent of overall TB cases in 22 high-burden countries are attributable to undernutrition.

Data on TB prevalence among acutely malnourished children vary widely; 2–24 per cent of acutely malnourished children in high TB burden settings have been diagnosed with the disease.

The CSOs want the Interior docket to manage TB transmission in prisons, perhaps by decongesting the correctional facilities and ensuring there is sufficient ventilation.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is tasked to safeguard TB-related human rights for migrating Kenyans, while the Sports docket can leverage sports activities and platforms for disease awareness.