Cork TD calls for funds to tackle increased paediatric TB rates

A Cork TD has expressed concern at increasing rates of paediatric tuberculosis (TB), as the national centre for TB care has called for more funding to deliver treatment.

In the South West region, covering Cork and Kerry, there were 34 TB cases last year, up from 25 the year before. The incidence rate also rose from 3.4 per 100,000 people in 2023 to 4.6 in 2024.

St James’s Hospital is the national centre for TB care in Ireland, responsible for all the complex and drug-resistant TB cases, including all multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB), nationally, and has delivered this service without dedicated funding since 2005.

A spokesperson for the hospital said it is currently operating at maximum capacity.

“To manage active cases and to provide treatment for latent TB, the hospital has opened a second clinic per week as an emergency measure.”

The spokesperson said that paediatric TB cases have increased annually since 2017.

“Alarmingly, TB cases in children under one year in 2024 equalled the total cases from the previous 10 years combined”

The Irish Mycobacterial Reference Laboratory (IMRL) at St James’s Hospital, which supports TB diagnosis nationally, is “also at full capacity and unable to meet the growing demand” for rapid diagnostics. 

The spokesperson said Ireland is not on track to meet World Health Organisation End TB strategy targets.

“Delays in diagnosis and treatment increase the risk of community transmission, drug resistance, and outbreaks — including in vulnerable settings such as prisons and among migrant populations. In addition, the financial burden of failing to meet WHO targets could exceed €70m, with the cost of treating a single MDR-TB case estimated at €68,000,” said the spokesperson.

“Immediate investment is required to expand outpatient and laboratory capacity, recruit additional clinical staff, and support the IMRL.”

The data was provided to Cork Fine Gael TD Colm Burke, who told The Echo that the data was “absolutely damning”.

“I am calling on the minister, the department, and the HSE to take immediate action, and that the necessary funding would be allocated,” said Mr Burke.

“The earlier a person is identified with TB the less risk of community transmission. Unless the necessary financial support is put in place now, the TB service at St James’s Hospital will not meet current or future demand putting public health at significant risk.”