Action Africa Partnership urges African leaders to prioritize Tuberculosis eradication
What you need to know:
- Action Africa Partnership highlights the necessity of prioritizing TB by developing a roadmap and indicators to monitor country progress towards TB elimination within the African Union.
Dar es Salaam. Action Africa Partnership is making a fervent appeal to Heads of State, urging them to prioritize tuberculosis (TB) in policies and budgets.
Their call coincides with World TB Day, observed on March 24th, aiming to raise public awareness and intensify efforts to combat the global TB epidemic.
The UN High-Level Meeting on TB in 2023 set ambitious targets to facilitate the reduction of the disease burden across countries.
Action Africa Partnership emphasizes the urgent need for unified action to confront challenges and capitalize on opportunities in the battle against TB in Africa. The organization stresses the paramount importance of moving towards ending TB by 2030.
The Chairperson of Action Africa, Dr Peter Bujari, acknowledges the progress made in addressing TB but emphasizes that it remains a formidable challenge on the continent.
He urges the African Union to hold member states accountable for their TB commitments until the 2030 goals are achieved, employing both existing and innovative mechanisms.
Furthermore, Dr Bujari calls upon members of Parliament and civil society organizations to establish accountability mechanisms ensuring effective prioritization of TB in national policies and efficient utilization of allocated funding.
Action Africa Partnership highlights the necessity of prioritizing TB by developing a roadmap and indicators to monitor country progress towards TB elimination within the African Union.
Dr Bujari underscores the severe impact of TB on public health, citing its status as the ninth leading cause of death worldwide and the leading cause of death among infectious diseases, surpassing HIV/AIDS. In 2022 alone, 2.5 million people fell ill with TB in the African region, accounting for a quarter of new TB cases globally. An estimated 424,000 people died from TB in the African region that year, equating to approximately 1,164 deaths per day and 49 deaths per hour.
The statement also highlights that over 33 percent of TB deaths worldwide occur in the African region, with 25 countries, including Tanzania, burdened with high TB disease rates.
As the world observes World TB Day, Action Africa Partnership's appeal underscores the critical need for concerted efforts and unwavering commitment from African leaders to prioritize TB eradication and achieve the ambitious goal of eliminating TB by 2030.
