Pediatric Tuberculosis in North Kivu: The Urgency of a Targeted Response to a Forgotten Childhood Disease.

Pediatric tuberculosis remains a neglected health emergency, particularly in fragile contexts such as North Kivu province in the Democratic Republic of Congo. While more than one million children contract tuberculosis each year worldwide, the majority of cases remain underdiagnosed, resulting in preventable morbidity and mortality. In North Kivu, armed conflict, massive displacement, chronic malnutrition, overcrowding, and a weak health system create fertile ground for the spread of tuberculosis and complicate child care. Limited access to diagnostic tools (radiography, GeneXpert), insufficient Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination coverage, and a lack of appropriate pediatric drug formulations exacerbate the situation. National and international tuberculosis control strategies remain largely focused on adults, leaving children on the margins of policies and interventions. This editorial calls for an urgent and targeted response, including active contact tracing, improved access to diagnostic tools, the availability of appropriate medications, community outreach, and the involvement of humanitarian actors. Coordinated and context-specific action is essential to ensure that children in North Kivu no longer remain the invisible victims of a preventable and curable disease.