Malawi moving towards reduction of TB incidences by 2030
National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Elimination Program (NTLEP) Manager, James Mpunga, has disclosed that Malawi is on the right course towards achieving the reduction of the incidences of tuberculosis by over 90 percent by 2030.
Mpunga told Nyasa Times during an interview on Friday that the country is progressing very well in the fight against the disease.
“We are able to reduce the incidences of tuberculosis as the country is counting down to achieve the target,” he said.
According to Mpunga, between 2015 and 2021 the reduction for TB incidences is at 43 percent adding that if the trajectory continues Malawi will get very close or even achieve the indicator.
While the reduction for mortality rate due to TB has been reduced is at 31 per cent during the same period.
At global level, he said, they are tracking to reach a zero per cent target on the proportional of people that face catastrophic costs as they are seeking TB services.
Said Mpunga: “We have a baseline of 23 percent but we think that we should reduce it down to zero percent.”
Mpunga said there is a lot of work to be done and currently the program will make sure that the facilities are not very far from the people.
“We are proposing that facilities should be close to communities at a less than five kilometer radius.
Mpunga added that the program is providing active case finding intervention through mobile diagnostic vans which goes around the communities in cities and districts to make sure that people are accessing the TB services.
The approach of case finding ensures that people don’t incur huge costs due to transport to access the services so they are brought closer to the door step, he said.
In addition, Mpunga said, the services are also provided in a decentralized manner such that not only district hospitals provide but also health centers.
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