TB is still among us, let us end TB together
CIDRZ holds dissemination meeting on Knowledge, Attitude and Practices (KAP) Survey on Covid 19 in Zambia
March 17, 2021
CIDRZ and the Zambia Correctional Service score on World TB day
March 29, 2021
Globally, an estimated 10 million people developed tuberculosis (TB) in 2019, and 3 million of these with TB were not diagnosed and treated. In the same year, the World Health Organisation (WHO) estimated that about 59,000 Zambians developed TB but 23,000 of these were not diagnosed or treated. 15,000 Zambians died from TB.
- Loosely put, an estimated 59,000 households in Zambia were affected by the social and economic burden of TB in 2019.
- For a disease that is preventable, curable and has a chronic course, the number of people dying from TB is high.
This begs two questions: Are we doing enough collectively to end TB in Zambia? and Are you and I doing enough individually to contribute towards the fight against TB in Zambia? These kinds of questions are the spirit of World TB day.
World Tuberculosis (TB) Day is commemorated every year on the 24th of March to raise public awareness about TB, and to review progress and catalyze efforts to end the global TB epidemic. This year’s global theme is, ‘The Clock is Ticking’. We committed to end TB in 2035, indeed, the clock is ticking on the END TB targets! The 2020 milestones for these targets are to reduce TB death by 35% and TB incidence by 20% compared to 2015. At the end of 2019, Zambia had reduced both TB incidence and mortality by 15%.
Zambia adapted the global theme for World TB day into “TB is still among us, let us end TB together”. This theme focuses on both the collective and individual responsibility required to end TB.
As CIDRZ, our contribution towards ending TB have been through supporting:
- Roll out of TB preventive therapy in Zambia.
- TB infection control at facility level
- Integration of TB/HIV service delivery
- Public private partnership in TB
- TB case management
- Strengthening TB data management and TB research.
- Supporting active TB case finding
- Increasing access to innovative and more sensitive diagnostic tools include GeneXpert, Chest x-ray and urine LAM.
- Supporting TB activities in correctional facilities
At individual level, you can contribute through things as simple as:
- Telling someone with a persistent cough to go to the health facility for TB screening.
- Telling a person living with HIV to go to the nearest health facility for TB preventive treatment.
- Adhering to your TB treatment
- Sharing your experience with TB.
TB is still among us, let us end TB together.
