WHO's New Guidelines For Handling Tuberculosis And Nutrition Shortage

JAKARTA - The World Health Organization (WHO) has released recommendations for new guidelines regarding the handling of tuberculosis (TB) and malnutrition. It is known that malnutrition remains one of the most significant drivers of the TB epidemic globally.

Malnutrition contributes to increased vulnerability to TB disease, worse treatment results, to preventable deaths.

"Tuberculos develops on inequality, with malnutrition as the main driver," said WHO Department Director for HIV, Tuberculosis, Hepatitis, and IMS, Dr. Tereza Kasaeva, quoted from the WHO official website, on Monday, October 13, 2025.

Therefore, overcoming malnutrition and food insecurity in people affected by TB has the potential to increase yields and save more lives. Overcoming malnutrition must be centered on a household, in order to end the TB completely.

"To end TB, we must overcome malnutrition and food insecurity as part of a comprehensive and household-centered response," he added.

The new guidelines for WHO to overcome tuberculosis and malnutrition are as follows:

- Nutrition assessment and counseling for all TB sufferers, as well as their household contacts. This admits that a significant proportion of people in households with TB may be malnourished. - Provision of nutritional intervention to optimize clinical results in people with TB who are malnourished, regardless of age, drug resistance, gestational status or severity of malnutrition. - Provision of food assistance to prevent TB in household contact with TB people in food insecure setting.

The new guidelines require close collaboration with government departments and stakeholders involved in nutrition care, food assistance, and welfare services. Thus, it is hoped that the government of each country will work together to better overcome TB and malnutrition in the future.