Kigali, March 24, 2022: Rwanda, on Thursday, observes this year’s World TB Day 2022 to raise awareness in general population so they may be informed on TB prevention, diagnosis and treatment. This year’s theme is “Invest to End TB. Save Lives” and serves to call on all those involved in the fight against TB to unite efforts to find adequate financial resources to with the fight against TB.
Tuberculosis (TB) is a communicable disease that is a major cause of morbidity and death It’ s among the top 10 causes of death worldwide and the leading cause of death from a single infectious agent (ranking above HIV/AIDS). Most of these deaths could be prevented with early diagnosis and appropriate treatment.
The World Health Organization has published the global TB report 2021, where 6.1 millions of TB cases were notified in 2020. In Rwanda, the TB incidence rate is 58 TB cases per 100,000 population as per the global TB report.
The Minister of health Dr. Daniel Ngamije calls upon the general public to use the availed diagnosis, treatment services free of charge to ensure no one dies of TB.
“The Government puts all TB patients on treatment for free to ensure that all patients have access to comprehensive care and treated for other morbidities to reduce deaths. I call upon each and every one with TB symptoms to for diagnosis and be put on treatment.” Said Minister Ngamije.
In the year 2020-2021, Rwanda recorded tremendous achievement. The total number of all TB cases diagnosed was 5,435 including 28 RR/MDR-TB cases. Among all TB cases diagnosed, 26.3% were referred by Community Health Workers. TB treatment was initiated to 98% of all notified TB cases while The treatment success rate (outcome) for susceptible TB(DS) was 88.2% and 95.2% drug resistant (DR) TB patients. Tuberculosis Preventive Therapy among contact above 5 years, is in the implementation phase, and 4 District Hospital have already started implementing this in their respective catchment and areas. Also since two years now, Rwanda started the initiation of tuberculosis preventive therapy and 127,246 PLHIV have been initiated by end of February 2022
Tuberculosis (also known as “TB”) is a disease caused by a bacteria called Mycobacterium tuberculosis, it the world’s top infectious disease killer.The world TB day is celebrated each year across the World to raise public awareness about the devastating health, social and economic consequences of TB and encourage all people to step up efforts in ending the disease.
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For more information, please contact:
Dr. Patrick MIGAMBI, Division Manager, TB and other respiratory Division,
(250) 788471111, Email: Patrick.migambi@rbc.gov.rw
Mr Julien NIYINGABIRA MAHORO, Division Manager,Rwanda Health Communication Centre
Tel: +250 788 606072, E-mail: julien.niyingabira@rbc.gov.rw