The Fight Against Tuberculosis

Every March, Ukraine holds a month-long campaign against tuberculosis – a period of heightened awareness of one of the most dangerous infectious diseases, which remains a pressing issue for our country.

Despite the fifth year of full-scale war, the tuberculosis (TB) control system in Ukraine continues to operate and save lives. In response to unprecedented challenges – destroyed infrastructure, the displacement of millions of people and limited access to healthcare – healthcare workers and civil society organisations, including the Ukrainian Red Cross, with the support of international partners, are finding new solutions to ensure access to diagnosis and treatment for those who need it most.

The project “Kyiv Region Tuberculosis-Free: Promoting Recovery for All at Any Age”, implemented by the Kyiv Regional Organisation of the Ukrainian Red Cross Society in partnership with the Public Health Alliance Foundation, is specifically aimed at achieving this. Project activities are carried out in all settlements of the Kyiv region where cases of tuberculosis have been registered, thereby ensuring equal and comprehensive access to medical and psychosocial services for patients suffering from this disease.

For example, in 2025, 756 cases of active tuberculosis, including relapses, were recorded in the Kyiv region, representing 42.4 cases per 100,000 population. The Kyiv Regional Organisation of the Ukrainian Red Cross Society took 194 clients under its care, accounting for 25.6% of the total number of cases in the region.

Of the 174 cases of drug-resistant tuberculosis that began treatment in 2025, 135 were taken under the care of our organisation, of whom 73.1% successfully completed treatment.

In March 2026, as part of the month-long campaign against tuberculosis, our specialists held an active information session: they met with the management of the Kyiv Regional Specialised Centre, where they discussed issues relating to the provision of medical and psychosocial services to patients suffering from tuberculosis, in Bila Tserkva, they spoke with residents, explained the importance of early detection of tuberculosis and reminded them that caring for one’s health begins with awareness; in the Brovary district, warm blankets were provided to patients under care as a sign of care, support and faith in their full recovery, were provided with warm blankets; in Skvyra, together with the Skvyra City Centre for Primary Health Care, an important and informative discussion was held with pupils of Skvyra Academic Lyceum No. 3 on the topic of tuberculosis.

In conclusion, we would like to note: our aim is to raise public awareness, dispel myths and remind people that tuberculosis can be detected in time, treated effectively and its serious consequences prevented.