28 June 2009 - Herat, Afghanistan - The Stop TB National Partnership Afghanistan has launched its first sub-national partnership in the Herat province.
The creation of the partnership was announced at an event attended by dignitaries including Claudio Glaentzer, Ambassador to Afghanistan from Italy; Dr Amin Fatem, Public Health Minister of Afghanistan; Roohullah Nekapa, the first Olympic Medalist (Tae Kwondo) from Afghanistan and Ambassador of the Stop TB Partnership Afghanistan; Peter Graaff, WHO Representative in Afghanistan; and Akihiro Seita, Regional Adviser for Tuberculosis for the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region. On the occasion of the launch Mr Glaentzer and H.E. Dr Fatem inaugurated a new TB/HIV collaborative centre, which will be financed with grants from the Global Fund, Italian Cooperation and the World Bank.
The National Stop TB Partnership Afghanistan, which was established in 2008, plans to establish sub-national partnerships in other provinces with the objective of providing local solutions to local TB control.