The Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ), in collaboration with the Ministry of Health (MoH) through the National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Programme (NTLP), is accelerating the TB response to move Zambia to achieve the global target to eliminate TB by 2030 in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

For this year’s commemorations themed “Yes! We Can End TB, Be Involved”, CIDRZ, through the MOH and NTLP, have organized a National Inter-school Debate and Quiz Competition involving high school pupils as a way of engaging adolescents in the communities to help raise awareness about TB while at the same time offering high school pupils an opportunity to develop their logic, reasoning, and critical thinking through the Ministry of General Education (MoGE). Eighty schools are slated to participate in this Inter-school Debate and Quiz Competition.

The competition, which started on 23rd February, is taking place in the ten provinces of Zambia, with each province hosting initialling intra-district competitions with winners from each district then proceeding to the inter-district competition. A total of 10 winners from the inter-district competition will then proceed to the inter-provincial level, from where five winners will be selected to proceed to the national live TV debate on 23rd March.  

24th March is designated as World Tuberculosis (TB) day and is celebrated annually to spread knowledge and raise public awareness about TB’s devastating health and social and economic consequences. The commemorations of this vital day highlight the need to ramp up efforts to end the global TB epidemic as we celebrate the scientific breakthrough of Dr Koch in 1882 when he stunned the world when he discovered the bacterium that causes TB.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), TB is among the top ten killer diseases in Zambia, with an estimated 60,000 people suffering from TB and an estimated 7,900 dying (WHO, 2022). TB is both preventable and curable, and the TB burden can be reduced by increased community engagement (public awareness) in preventive strategies and early TB diagnosis and treatment (demand creation).

Globally, WHO notes that TB is the second leading infectious killer disease after COVID-19 (above HIV/AIDS) and affects all countries and all age groups. In 2021, an estimated 10.6 million people fell ill with TB, and an estimated 1.6 million people died from it (WHO, 2022). However, about 4 million people that developed TB were not diagnosed and started on treatment. 

“Yes! We Can End TB, Be Involved”

The geographical reach of the TB Competitions.

The Competitions are held every week or fortnightly to allow adequate preparation time for the contestants in the next round.