Africa-Press – Uganda. Only 20 per cent of Uganda’s population live with tuberculosis, the principal medical officer for the National Tuberculosis Programme at the Ministry of Health has said.
Dr Henry Luzze says the new statistics, which also include an improvement in detection to nearly 85 per cent, not only show a decline from previous years but also the resolve to meet the global target of ending tuberculosis by 2030.
“We know that the awareness is very low in the community, but we need to strengthen the awareness of our people in order to understand the tuberculosis disease and its symptoms such that they can be treated and we also delete that evil thing from people’s mind that tuberculosis is a bewitched disease,” he said Wednesday while meeting stakeholders and support partners in the response to tuberculosis.
Dr Luzze added that as well as decoupling it from witchcraft, it is important to distinguish the cough of tuberculosis from that of pneumonia.
Appeal
“Someone may take more than two weeks while coughing and is not responding to the ordinary antibiotics and tends to get a great fever, especially in the evening, with too much sweat at night and also the loss of weight. Once you have those, you need to go and have a test from a qualified doctor,” he said.
Mr Joel Sebikaali, the Ntwetwe County legislator, who doubles as deputy chairperson of Parliament’s Health Committee, reminded government of its responsibilities.
“What we have established is that TB is talked about at the Ministry of Health, in hotels, in conference halls but the community is not aware. We have seen that here in Uganda every day we lose 15 people,” he said, adding: “We call upon the Ministry of Health through their department of health promotion to educate the masses about the TB signs and symptoms.”
Uganda is one of the 30 World Health Organisation designated countries with a high burden of TB/HIV. In 2019, the estimated incidence rate for TB was 200 per 100,000 population and the mortality rate was 35 per 100,000 population.
TB prevalence
TB remains the world’s deadliest infectious killer. Each day, more than 4,000 people lose their lives to TB, and close to 30,000 people fall ill with this preventable and curable disease. Global efforts to combat TB have saved an estimated 58 million lives since the year 2000.
Uganda is one of the 30 World Health Organisation designated countries with a high burden of TB/HIV. In 2019, the estimated incidence rate for TB was 200 per 100,000 population and the mortality rate was 35 per 100,000 population.
