Childhood TB in Myanmar: trends in notification, profile and treatment outcomes in the private sector.

SETTING: Myanmar National Tuberculosis (TB) programme (NTP). OBJECTIVE: To describe 1) the trends in childhood TB (aged ⩾ 14 years) notification from 2014 to 2017 and quantify the private sector contribution to this notification; and 2) the profile and treatment outcomes of childhood TB managed in the private sector in 2016. STUDY DESIGN: This was an observational study involving the review of routine records and reports of the NTP public-private mix (PPM) projects managed by the Myanmar Medical Association and Population Service International. RESULTS: The total number of childhood TB notified has declined from 36 314 in 2014 to 28 723 in 2017 (average annual decline = 2607 cases per year). The private sector contribution to the notification remained between 17% and 19%. Of the 5616 childhood TB cases diagnosed and treated under the two PPM projects in 2016, 99% were clinically diagnosed and 5459 (97.7%) had successful treatment outcomes. Children aged ⩾10 years, males, those with bacteriologically confirmed TB, those treated in the regions or states of Mandalay, Chin and Shan had a higher risk of an unfavourable outcome (lost to follow-up, death, move to second-line treatment and not evaluated). CONCLUSION: Childhood TB notification is showing a declining trend. One of five notified childhood TB cases was diagnosed and treated in the private sector, where the successful treatment rate was high.