Africa-Press – Tanzania. MEMBERS of Parliament have advised the Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children to provide adequate support to regions with high prevalence of Tuberculosis (TB), in concerted efforts to completely eradicate the disease in the country.
The advised was given by the HIV/AIDS Parliamentary Committee Chairperson, Ms Fatma Hassan Tawfiq, when contributing her views on reports presented by Rukwa Regional Medical Officer (RMO) Dr Boniface Kasululu, during a meeting held recently here in municipality.
Ms Tawfiq who is also a Chairperson of National HIV Network appealed on the government via the relevant ministry to provide education to the community in areas or groups that are at risk of contracting TB on the effects of the disease and how to protect themselves.
“It should be noted here that it is the responsibility of each and every one of us to ensure that we participate in one way or another to completely get rid of TB,” she emphasized.
Contributing her views during the meeting the legislator,Dr Christina Mzavah pointed out that TB is one of communicable diseases that can affect anyone regardless of gender rank of age
“The disease is curable but if the patient delays to receive treatment in time, TB kills,” she warned.
Medical experts’ literature recounted that a large percentage of people living with HIV are at risk of contracting TB, although not everyone with TB has AIDs.
“There is need to encourage those living with HIV to get tested for TB early,because when they are diagnosed, they can start treatment immediately,” said another legislator,Dr Steven Kiruswa (CCM Longido).
Initially RMO,Dr Kasululu before members of parliamentary committee applauded stakeholders Walter Reed Programme (WRP), THPS USAID Uhuru and AMREF through its USAID Afya Shirikishi(Participatory Health)project for continued commitment cooperation with the regional authority in the fight against TB by increasing access to and improving TB diagnostic services for victims.
“Thought their commitments, they made possible for the region to have 34 health facilities,” he said.
He further explained that 540 people have been diagnosed with TB between January and June 2021and they are under treatment in Rukwa region.
“The number of TB patients increased from 804 in 2019 to 941 in 2020 out of whom 745 out of 798 equivalent to 93.4 were treated and recovered this has surpassed national rate of curing TB patients of 90 percent. “The good news is that now chronic TB patients can get treatment at Rukwa Regional Referral Hospital here in Sumbawanga Town,”explained the RMO.
He hailed the funding from the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDs Relief (PEPFAR) and Henry Jackson Foundation Medical Research International (HJFMRI) for procuring and installing viral load monitoring and CD4 machines for HIV patients at Rukwa regional referral facility.
“The same PEPFAR and HJFMRI through their funding have procured and installed six biochemistry machines Gene Experts at regional referral facility, Dr Atman Hospital at Christ the King area, Namanyere District Designed Hospital in Nkasi District and Mtowisa Heath Center along the Lake Rukwa Rift Valley Basin in Sumbawanga District” added the RMO.
Several available statistics show that TB is the leading cause of deaths with one billion people globally,dying from TB,followed small pox,malaria, plague,influenza,cholera and AIDs.
In Tanzania 137,000 people suffer from TB each year cause 32,000 deaths, equivalent to 88 deaths each day,out of whom 33 were HIV patients.
Currently, Tanzania according to available statistics has a total of 1,600 chronic TB patients out of whom at least 400 were diagnosed last year 2020.
