Making the case for child-friendly TB treatment for Inuit: challenging Canada’s double standard

Published November 2018.

Each year over 10 million people fall ill with active tuberculosis (TB). Of those, one million are children under the age of 15. Eight countries alone account for two thirds of the TB burden: India, China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Pakistan, Nigeria, Bangladesh and South Africa.

Don’t let the statistics fool you – TB doesn’t only affect countries in the Global South. We are also facing a TB crisis here in Canada.

Inuit living in Nunavut, Canada’s most northern territory, experience nearly 300 times the rate of TB compared to non-indigenous, Canadian-born citizens.  For anyone, TB is a challenging diagnosis. People being treated for TB take handfuls of pills every day which often come with challenging side effects. Patients often feel ill for the entire six months of their treatment.