March 24, 2000, Friday
SECTION: WORLD NEWS; SCIENCE, CULTURAL, EDUCATION, HEALTH
HEADLINE: Zambia Vows to Fight Against TB
DATELINE: LUSAKA, March 24
Zambian Health Minister David Mpamba promised here Friday to do everything possible to
reduce tuberculosis (TB) cases in the African country.
Speaking at the commemoration of the World TB Day under the theme "forging new
partnerships to stop TB", he said the TB infection was posing a real threat to
individuals, communities and the nation as whole, with the most productive and
economically active segment of the population being hit most.
He said the TB case rate increased to over 400 per 100,000 population and the number of
reported TB cases rose from 7,000 in 1984 to over 40,000 in 1996.
Speaking at the same function World Health Organization (WHO) country representative,
Edward Maganu, said TB, like HIV/AIDS, is a regional emergency requiring extraordinary
action on the part of governments, private sector and the community at large.
He said it is estimated that between 35 and 45 percent of all new TB cases in the
region are infected with HIV and TB alone accounts for about 40 percent of AIDS deaths in
Africa.
He said African governments should translate the political will and commitment into
concrete actions to implement effective TB control program by allocating adequate
resources and ensuring strong leadership and accountability.