Africa Region lacks data for TB prevalence - WHO

Accra, Sept. 10, GNA - Lack of regional data for Tuberculosis (TB) prevalence in Africa is hampering the monitoring and evaluation of TB control programmes.

The anomaly is hampering health officials in efforts to estimate the disease prevalence, unlike HIV, which has regional records to facilitate planning to control the spread of the pandemic. Dr. Thomas Sukwa, World Health Organisation (WHO) Africa Regional Director in-charge of Tuberculosis, made the observation on Monday at the opening of a five-day second planning meeting for National TB programme Managers in the African Region.

He said though it was expensive to collect data for the regional prevalence, it was very necessary for planning.

The meeting, which is being attended by 20 out of the 46 WHO countries, is expected to target and prioritize actions required to accelerate progress towards regional and global targets for TB control at various country levels, prepare draft country specific plans and budgets for 2007 to 2010, follow-up actions for short term, medium to long term and develop a method of work to achieve their target. Dr. Sukwa explained that TB was a very serious disease, which had a devastating effect on individuals and the country as a whole, but despite the significant progress by member states in the implementing of the Direct Observed Therapy Short (DOTS) course, it remained the most important communicable disease in the Region. He noted that other challenges faced by the region to control TB were low or non-participation of the private sector, limited laboratory facilities for diagnosis, human resource capacity, slow country TB/HIV implementation and the expansion of community and civil society Organizations involvement.

Outlining some strategic ways to address the challenges, WHO African Regional Office suggested pragmatic actions to accelerate population DOTS coverage to increase case detection, reduce patient default to improve treatment success rates and strengthening health systems for TB laboratory networks as well as mobilizing additional resources for TB.

Dr. Sukwa said WHO Africa Regional Office would ensure the reduction of the gap created between policy and implementation, advocate for correct approach to programme implementation, undertake special studies on TB prevalence and DOTS implementation and make available simple treatment guidelines and charts. These strategies would help to achieve the global target of stopping TB by at least 70 per cent case detection rate and 85 per cent treatment success rate among new cases by 2015. Dr. Elias Sory, Director-General of Ghana Health Service, who opened the meeting, recommended community participation in TB programmes which should be place on national agenda. He advised all countries to carry out follow-ups, fight stigmatization and share success stories for higher performance. 10 Sept. 07