Abstract:
Despite improvement in the control of Tuberculosis globally, the disease remains a major public
health problem responsible for high morbidity and mortality. In 2013 alone an estimated 9 million people acquired
Tuberculosis, while mortality was at 1.5 million people that year. The emergence of multidrug resistant tuberculosis
(MDR-TB) is tending to reverse earlier gains in the Tuberculosis control efforts, especially in resources limited
settings in Sub Saharan Africa (SSA). The largest negative impact is expected in high-risk populations in whom the
prevalence of pulmonary TB is already high. The challenges in these settings are numerous and are important for the
epidemiology of MDR-TB. Alliances of negative forces and social determinants of health such as poverty, low levels
of literacy, gender inequality and poorly resourced health systems may play a big role in the spread of MDR-TB.
Furthermore, high cost of treatment and lack of health workers are hindrances to proper control of TB. HIV infection
and male gender have been cited to be risk factors. Efforts to control this epidemic require control of HIV and more
male involvement in the most affected regions. In our perspective we discuss epidemiology of MRD-TB in SSA
