Improving food security, reducing tobacco smoking key to end TB

Undernutrition and tobacco use are major determinants of tuberculosis or TB globally.
Tuberculosis, which is an infectious bacterial disease that generally affects the lungs, was once the leading cause of death in many countries but the number of cases fell rapidly in the 1940s and 1950s after researchers found treatments.
In 2021, of the 10.6mn people who fell ill with TB, 2.2mn were attributable to undernutrition and nearly 0.7mn to tobacco smoking, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).
People who smoke tobacco have double the risk of tuberculosis disease, slower recovery, and a higher risk of unfavourable TB treatment outcomes, including recurrence of TB, death, and post-TB pulmonary and cardiovascular disease.
Smoking cessation during tuberculosis treatment can improve treatment outcomes and has been shown to reduce the risk of TB infection and TB disease among household contacts as well.
Improving food security and reducing tobacco smoking globally will therefore contribute significantly to the fight to end TB.
The theme of this year’s World No Tobacco Day campaign “Grow food, not tobacco” provided an opportunity to highlight the critical role of these interlinked determinants of health, including TB, and the need for collective multisectoral action to address them.
It encourages governments to end subsidies for tobacco growing and use these savings to transform farming practices to contribute to improved food security and nutrition.
World No Tobacco Day is observed around the world every year on May 31. The day was chosen by the WHO in 1987 to draw global attention to the tobacco epidemic and the preventable death and disease it causes.
The objective of the day is to urge tobacco users worldwide to abstain from using tobacco products for 24 hours, an action they hoped would provide assistance for those trying to quit.
This year’s World No Tobacco Day theme was “Commit to Quit”, which aimed to create awareness about the dangers of tobacco use and encourage people to quit smoking.
WHO’s ‘End TB Strategy’ emphasises the need for action on tuberculosis and comorbidities, including tobacco smoking. At the 2018 UN High Level Meeting on TB, member states committed to assuring health services that address tobacco use as part of a comprehensive package of tuberculosis services.
This requires close partnership between TB programmes and tobacco control programmes, and the engagement of all key stakeholders to scale up implementation of WHO recommendations on tuberculosis and on tobacco cessation to meet this commitment. The WHO Framework for collaborative action on TB and comorbidities provides guidance on strengthening people-centred services for tuberculosis and comorbidities, including tobacco smoking.
The no tobacco campaign certainly holds great significance due to its impact on public health, individual well-being, and the overall reduction of tobacco-related harm.
It holds immense significance in terms of public health promotion, addiction prevention, and reduction of secondhand smoke, economic implications, behaviour change, policy advocacy, and its global impact.
By addressing the harmful effects of tobacco use and encouraging tobacco-free lifestyles, the campaign aims to improve the well-being of individuals and communities while reducing the burden of tobacco-related diseases and mortality.