March 27, 2000
SECTION: NEWS, DOCUMENTS & COMMENTARY
HEADLINE: TB Is Biggest Killer Disease Of Women In Africa, Says WHO
BYLINE: Kennedy Bwalya
LUSAKA - Tuberculosis (TB) is the biggest killer disease of women in Africa, World
Health Organisation has said. Speaking during the commemoration of World TB Day in Lusaka,
World Health Organisation (WHO) country representative Dr. Edward Maganu said TB was the
greatest health paradox of the new millennium claiming more than 2 million deaths
annually, the majority being women.
He said there was a serious resurgence of the disease due to HIV as compared to
declining figure between the 1970s and early 1980s.
According to Magamu, it has been estimated that between 30- 45 per cent of all TB cases
in the region were also infected with HIV and accounted for a number of deaths in Africa.
He advised the local community to observe TB Direct Observation Treatment (DOTS) as it
effectively helped cure the disease.
Dr. Maganu said the local community must consider TB scourge as a regional emergence
like AIDS that required participation of all partners government, NGOs, private sector and
the local community.
He urged stakeholders to provide adequate resources and engage in sustainable
partnership in the implementation of stronger forum to fight the scourge and assured the
Zambian government that WHO would provide the necessary technical support.
Dr. Maganu advised the community to play its role by encouraging patients to seek early
medical care and completion of their treatment.
And Health minister David Mpamba commended WHO for this years theme, "Forging new
partnership to stop TB," saying the commemoration of the day was a reminder that TB
was still causing great human suffering.
He said his government was committed to alleviating peoples welfare by minimising the
suffering attendant to the disease.
He called for the community to be vigilant and stop illegal traders selling TB drugs as
government offered free medication.