Childhood TB in Myanmar: trends in notification, profile and treatment outcomes in the private sector.

SETTING

Myanmar National Tuberculosis (TB) programme (NTP).

OBJECTIVE

To describe 1) the trends in childhood TB (aged ⩾ 14 years) notification from 2014 to 2017 and quantify the private sector contribution to this notification; and 2) the profile and treatment outcomes of childhood TB managed in the private sector in 2016.

STUDY DESIGN

This was an observational study involving the review of routine records and reports of the NTP public-private mix (PPM) projects managed by the Myanmar Medical Association and Population Service International.

RESULTS

The total number of childhood TB notified has declined from 36 314 in 2014 to 28 723 in 2017 (average annual decline = 2607 cases per year). The private sector contribution to the notification remained between 17% and 19%. Of the 5616 childhood TB cases diagnosed and treated under the two PPM projects in 2016, 99% were clinically diagnosed and 5459 (97.7%) had successful treatment outcomes. Children aged ⩾10 years, males, those with bacteriologically confirmed TB, those treated in the regions or states of Mandalay, Chin and Shan had a higher risk of an unfavourable outcome (lost to follow-up, death, move to second-line treatment and not evaluated).

CONCLUSION

Childhood TB notification is showing a declining trend. One of five notified childhood TB cases was diagnosed and treated in the private sector, where the successful treatment rate was high.