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Malawi making headway in TB fight

The National Tuberculosis (TB) Control Programme has said Malawi has since 2000 been making good progress in both treatment and fight against the disease, beating some of the set World Health Organisation (WHO) targets.

Programme director Dr James Mpunga said this at the end of a TB Day commemoration march organised by Lilongwe-based Paradiso TB Patient Trust as part of the activities to mark the day which falls on March 24 every year.

He said among the key targets the country has managed to achieve include the TB treatment success rate as well as the TB death rate.

“For example, our treatment success rate is currently at 87 percent while the WHO target is 85 percent and the death rate is at seven percent which is within the acceptable bracket of five to 10 percent,” he said.

However, Mpunga said despite such successes, the fight and treatment of TB is still hampered by challenges such as inadequate funding.

Commenting on the commemoration day activities, Mpunga said it was important that community-based organisations such as Paradiso were also coming in to assist government efforts to sensitise people on TB.

Paradiso, an organisation formed in 2000, comprises people who have been cured of TB and some who are living with HIV. The organization sensitises people on the importance of getting TB treatment in good time and also assist in tracking those on TB drugs.

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