Developing Feasible, Locally Appropriate Socioeconomic Support for TB-Affected Households in Nepal
Tuberculosis (TB), the leading single infectious diseases killer globally, is driven by poverty.
Conversely, having TB worsens impoverishment. During TB illness, lost income and out-of-pocket
costs can become “catastrophic”, leading patients to abandon treatment, develop drug-resistance,
and die. WHO’s 2015 End TB Strategy recommends eliminating catastrophic costs and providing
socioeconomic support for TB-affected people. However, there is negligible evidence to guide the
design and implementation of such socioeconomic support, especially in low-income, TB-endemic
countries. A national, multi-sectoral workshop was held in Kathmandu, Nepal, on the 11th and
12th September 2019, to develop a shortlist of feasible, locally appropriate socioeconomic support
interventions for TB-affected households in Nepal, a low-income country with significant TB burden.