Haiti - FLASH : Every hour, more than one Haitian is infected with tuberculosis
As part of World Tuberculosis Day (March 24), the Ministry of Public Health is continuing its numerous efforts, working closely with its technical and financial partners, to support the adoption of a multisectoral accountability framework to provide the Haitian population with appropriate tuberculosis care.
Although the fight against tuberculosis began in Haiti more than half a century ago, it still poses a threat to the population. In 2024, 11,420 people were diagnosed with tuberculosis, or more than one patient per hour, 24/7.
Across the country, there are 253 health facilities providing direct tuberculosis care and services, including : providing all first-line anti-tuberculosis drugs to 100% of patients on treatment, intensifying early case detection to prevent premature deaths through the GenExpert network, and providing appropriate medications to 100% of treatment-resistant patients.
The Ministry's adoption of shorter treatment regimens (4 months) in 2024 represents a major step forward for the program, improving tuberculosis treatment and management, particularly among children, and promoting better adherence.
The introduction of new rapid diagnostic methods in the country : digital X-ray, 10-color GeneXpert, LAM test, and TrueNaat, are among the Ministry's efforts in the fight against tuberculosis. Beyond these advances, prevention and ongoing care for people with tuberculosis, as well as for users of health facilities and communities in general, remain the keys to success in the response to this highly contagious and deadly disease (if left untreated), which spreads from person to person through the air.
