HEALTH Minister Sylvia Masebo expressed her delight on the ongoing multi-sectoral efforts in the fight against tuberculosis as the epidemic requires concerted action by all sectors to provide the right services and support and create an enabling environment in the right place at the right time.

In a speech delivered on her behalf by Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary for Technical Services, Kennedy Lishimpi, during the National Inter-school Singing Competition Grand Finale held in Lusaka recently, Ms challenging challenged youths to use music and debates to stamp out marginalisation of people with TB.

“Let us use music and debate to challenge myths and misconceptions, to stamp out the marginalisation of our people with TB, to remove barriers to accessing care, to champion global action to address health inequities for people with TB and other diseases and to mobilise the community to be involved in the fight against TB,” she said.

And Centre for Infectious Diseases Research in Zambia (CIDRZ) Director Tuberculosis Programmes Dr Monde Muyoyeta said Zambia is among the 30 high TB-burdened countries globally, with an estimated 60,000 people contracting TB annually, of which approximately 15,000 succumb to the disease every year.

Dr Muyoyeta recalled that last year, the USAID TBLON Project at CIDRZ first used Interschools debate on TB to raise awareness of the disease. This year, CIDRZ decided to launch a TB music competition, as music is a powerful tool to ignite important conversations in a fun and competitive manner among listeners.

Meanwhile, USAID Mission Director Peter Wiebler, who was represented by Dr Kelvin Zimba expressed joy at Zambia’s progress in preventing, diagnosing, and treating TB, highlighting that TB is curable .

“As Zambia’s longtime partner in the fight against TB, I’d like to recognise the tremendous effort, commitment and expertise behind Zambia’s achievement of meeting three of the 2023 United Nations High-Level Meeting targets for detection and treatment of drug-sensitive TB detection and treatment of children with TB and Providing TB preventive treatment to people living with HIV,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Arts appreciated the Ministry of Health’s recognition of arts as a tool for engaging the public on health matters.

Ministry of Youth, Sports and Arts Permanent Secretary Permanent Secretary for Arts, Fumba Chama, said his Ministry was delighted to be part of the agenda to end TB by 2030 through the use of art to raise awareness in the communities to improve our people’s health literacy.

And Education Minister Douglas Syakalima said his ministry was delighted to play a key role in raising awareness of TB.

Mr Syakalima, who was represented by the Ministry of Education Permanent Secretary Dr Joel Kamoko, commended the Ministry of Health and its partners, including CIDRZ, for their consistency and for coming up with the TB National Interschools singing competition initiative.

He also appreciated the private sector players such as Access Bank and UNICAF for partnering with the Ministry of Health in making this event possible.In giving a vote of thanks on behalf of learners, Natasha Lumbwe, a Grade 12 pupil from Highridge Secondary School in Kabwe, congratulated Muzoka Secondary School for emerging victorious and appreciated all the participants, volunteers and staff who worked tirelessly to make the Inter-schools Singing Competition a reality.

The TB National Interschools Singing Competition started out with 115 districts across the country and culminated into the grand finale that saw 10 schools competing for the grand prize while raising awareness for the prevention, care and treatment of TB.