TB screening paired with preventive treatment can deliver returns of up to US$54 for every dollar invested, according to a new investment case published by the World Health Organization on October 12.
What the TB screening study found
The second edition of the WHO study models the costs and benefits of screening for tuberculosis combined with TB preventive treatment in Brazil, Georgia, Kenya and South Africa. The authors say the four countries serve as examples for settings with a similar epidemiological context.
The study concludes that relatively modest investments can achieve significant health and economic benefits in all four countries.
Why it matters
The investment case is meant to help countries secure and allocate more resources to scale up screening and preventive treatment, in line with targets set by Heads of State at the 2023 UN High-Level Meeting on TB.
