Authors
Bakhtiyar Babamuradov, Alexander Trusov, Mariam Sianozova, and Zhanna Zhandauletova
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Summary
Tuberculosis (TB) is a highly infectious and deadly disease, yet it can be prevented by identifying new cases and cured by completing treatment. In Central Asia the large flow of migration poses significant challenges for preventing the spread of TB. According to the Central Tuberculosis Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Medical Science, the incidence of TB and multidrug- and extensively drug-resistant TB is 2.5 times higher among labor migrants than among the general population. Cramped and poorly ventilated living conditions and lack of access to TB diagnostic and treatment services contribute to a heightened risk of infection among labor migrants and of cross-border TB outbreaks. Language barriers and fear of deportation can deter labor migrants from seeking health services. A regional TB control strategy is necessary to mitigate these risks.