Afghanistan Peace CampaignDeputy minister for health services, called on international organizations to assist Afghanistan’s health sector in the fight against TB.
March 24 marks World Tuberculosis Day. The World Health Organization (WHO) in Afghanistan has reported a 3.3% increase in tuberculosis cases in 2024 compared to 2023.
Edwin Ceniza Salvador, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Representative in Afghanistan, assured cooperation with the health sector, particularly in the fight against tuberculosis.
He stated: “In 2024, a total of 51,300 cases of TB were reported in Afghanistan, representing a 3.3% increase from the 49,000 cases reported in 2023.What this highlights is that there are ongoing challenges in TB for us in the country and it continues to grapple with the high incidence and mortality rates.”
Stephen Rodriques, representative of the UNDP in Afghanistan, said: “Since 2024 February of last year, we have screened over 335,000 Afghans who have returned from Iran and Pakistan, and this approach prevents treatment disruptions and strengthens patient support.”
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Public Health shared updated data during a ceremony on World Tuberculosis Day (Monday), stating that more than 51,000 TB cases were recorded in the country last year.
Abdulwali Haqqani, deputy minister for health services, called on international organizations to assist Afghanistan’s health sector in the fight against TB.
He said: “51,319 cases were identified and treated. Intensive efforts are needed for the detection and treatment of tuberculosis.”
Ali Mohammad Amin, head of the national TB program, stated that due to reduced funding from international donors, the program is unable to implement its services in accordance with its strategic plan.
According to WHO statistics, in 2023 nearly 10.8 million people worldwide were infected with tuberculosis. Of these, 6 million were men, 3.6 million were women, and 1.3 million were children.
This year’s World TB Day was observed under the theme: “Yes! We Can End TB: Commit, Invest, Deliver, is a bold call for hope, urgency, and accountability.”