Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

New TB action plan proposed as cases surge

Provisional figures for 2024 indicate 13-per cent annual rise to 5,480 cases

New TB action plan proposed as cases surge

Government urged experts to come forward to help draw up a new five-year TB action plan. (Photo: Getty Images)

BRITAIN on Wednesday (2) 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.

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


Provisional figures for 2024 indicate a further 13-per cent 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 per cent, 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.

(AFP)

More For You

Asian drug dealer known as 'starkcake' jailed for 18 years

Heemal Vaid (Photo: NCA)

Asian drug dealer known as 'starkcake' jailed for 18 years

A 49-year-old Asian drug dealer who masterminded the import and sale of cocaine and heroin worth more than £4 million has been jailed for 18 years, after National Crime Agency (NCA) investigators identified him from secret phone messages.

British Indian Heemal Vaid, of Cheam, used EncroChat – an encrypted phone service for criminals – to broker deals, unaware that in 2020, an international law enforcement team would crack EncroChat’s encryption.

Keep ReadingShow less
Metropolitan Police

The Met said it would not be making redundancies but would achieve savings by reducing recruitment and not replacing those who leave.

Getty Images/iStockphoto

Met Police to cut 1,700 jobs amid £260m budget shortfall

THE METROPOLITAN POLICE has announced plans to cut 1,700 officers, PCSOs, and staff due to a £260 million budget deficit.

The force will also scale back several services, including the removal of the Royal Parks Police team and officers stationed in schools.

Keep ReadingShow less
Donald Trump

Trump announced a series of tariff increases targeting various nations, including key US allies such as the UK and the European Union.

Getty Images

Trump’s tariffs hit global markets, Starmer warns of 'economic impact'

The UK and other global economies reacted on Thursday to US president Donald Trump's newly imposed tariffs, with prime minister Keir Starmer warning of an “economic impact” from the 10 per cent levy on British exports.

Trump announced a series of tariff increases targeting various nations, including key US allies such as the UK and the European Union.

Keep ReadingShow less
India told to prepare for deadly rise in temperatures

The country can expect more heatwave days this year

India told to prepare for deadly rise in temperatures

INDIA can expect hotter-thanusual temperatures this summer with more heatwave days taking a toll on lives and livelihoods, the weather office warned.

The country is no stranger to scorching summers, but years of scientific research has found climate change is causing heatwaves to become longer, more frequent and more intense.

Keep ReadingShow less
Tower Hamlets secures funding to save domestic abuse support jobs

The planned strike action was called off after the external funding was secured

Tower Hamlets secures funding to save domestic abuse support jobs

Ruby Gregory

REDUNDANCY proposals which would have seen job cuts made to a ‘crucial’ domestic abuse support service in Tower Hamlets have been called off.

Solace Women’s Aid, which planned to make cuts, confirmed last Friday (28) the redundancies were no longer going ahead, following a boost in external funding which followed a threat of strike action.

Keep ReadingShow less