In Sana'a, the National Tuberculosis and Chest Diseases Control Program organized an event on World Tuberculosis Day (TB), in cooperation with the International Organization for International Migration and the Global Fund, under the slogan "Yes, we can eliminate tuberculosis."
At the event, the Director of the National Program, Dr. Ehab Al-Saqqaf, pointed out the importance of the event in raising public awareness of the devastating health, social and economic effects of the tuberculosis epidemic, and intensifying efforts to end this global epidemic.
He explained that the aim of commemorating World Tuberculosis Day is to spread hope and encourage the participation of leaders at the highest level, increase investments, accelerate the implementation of new recommendations issued by the World Health Organization to eliminate tuberculosis, introduce innovations, accelerate actions, and multisectoral cooperation to combat the tuberculosis epidemic.
Dr. Al-Saqqaf stated that tuberculosis in Yemen represents one of the health and social problems, as the infection rate is estimated at 48 new cases per 100,000 population. He pointed out that Yemen is classified as one of the countries with an average infection rate of this disease.
He stated that according to the statistics of the national program for the year 2022, the number of discovered cases reached ten thousand and 411 cases of tuberculosis, and indicated that the incidence of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in Yemen, which is considered the imminent danger and the biggest challenge, is still low compared to some countries, where 458 cases were discovered until the end of the year 2022 AD.
Dr. Al-Saqqaf pointed out that Yemen celebrates World Tuberculosis Day in light of the continued aggression and blockade, which has destroyed the infrastructure ,economy, weakened the health system and social fabric, increased poverty ,malnutrition, and caused delays in the arrival of medicines and laboratory solutions to Yemen, which has increased the spread of disease.
Tuberculosis has hampered efforts to control it.
He appreciated the efforts of the Ministry of Health's leadership and its interest and support for the program to play its role in reducing the repercussions of tuberculosis and deaths resulting from it and preventing it.
The ministry also seeks to strengthen partnership with the private sector, which is the main backup in case detection, in addition to cooperation with international donors and international organizations, especially the Global Fund to Fight Tuberculosis, AIDS and Malaria, the World Health Organization and the International Organization for Migration.
Dr. Al-Saqqaf also confirmed the completion of the preparation of the strategic plan for the national program to combat tuberculosis and chest diseases in Yemen 2023-2027.
Which aims to raise the rate of tuberculosis detection, increase the success rate of treatment, and increase the detection of cases of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis to reach a tuberculosis-free Yemen.
He said that the program's plans for the coming period will focus on strengthening multisectoral coordination, strengthening the laboratory network, activating the follow-up and evaluation system, supporting patients and workers, in addition to enhancing ways to prevent tuberculosis.
Meanwhile, the official spokesman for the Ministry of Health, Dr. Anis Al-Asbahi, indicated that the World Tuberculosis Day aims to build public awareness about the global epidemic and the efforts exerted to eradicate it.
He noted that the national tuberculosis control program is primarily responsible for strategies and policies for tuberculosis control in Yemen, and it works through three main levels: central, provinces and districts.
Al-Asbahi, stated that these levels provide diagnostic and treatment services throughout the provinces of the Republic, which are distributed among four main regional centers for tuberculosis control in each of Sana’a, Aden, Hodeida and Taiz, reviewing the ministry’s efforts to reduce the rates of disease prevalence and deaths resulting from it and prevent it in partnership , cooperation with donors, and international organizations.
In turn, the technical assistant for the tuberculosis program, Dr. Essam Mahyoub, reviewed the mechanism of tuberculosis control, the achievements of the program and its goals in reducing the infection rate to 45 cases per 100,000 population by 2027, and reducing the death rate from nine to six cases per 100,000 population by 2027. touching on the difficulties and challenges facing the program and its future plan.
For his part, Head of Respiratory Care Department at Ibn Al-Nafis University, Dr. Bassam Al-Salwi, pointed out the importance of the event to promote awareness of tuberculosis and efforts to eradicate it.
He stressed the need to strengthen efforts to review the national strategy to combat tuberculosis and supervise its implementation, especially in light of the challenges facing the country in dealing with and combating this epidemic, indicating the importance of training and qualification in this aspect.
At the end of the event, which was attended by a number of specialists and consultants in chest diseases, academics and representatives of the International Organization for Migration and the Red Cross, a number of exemplary employees of the National Tuberculosis Program were honored.
J.A
resource : SABA
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