President Hakainde Hichilema
By Simon Banda – Kwacha Magazine
President Hakainde Hichilema has reiterated the “New Dawn” Administration commitment in the fight against Tuberculosis (TB) that has continued to decimate humanity globally.
“As Government, let me take this moment to evaluate our collective effort to raise awareness about the disease that continue to pose a threat to humanity,” said President Hichilema, adding that deaths are largely due to delays in seeking health care.
In a speech delivered by Health Minister Sylvia Tembo-Masebo, at the
commemoration of World TB day observed under the theme “Yes, we can end TB, be involved”, Mr. Hichilema expressed concern that TB remains a major public health concern across the globe.
According to the Head of State, TB is one of the primary cause of illness and death, with 10.6 million people falling ill and 1.6 million dying from the disease globally.
“There figures are a stack reminder of the importance of continuing our efforts to combat this disease,” Hichilema said.
President Hichilema, however, regretted that due to the Coronavirus (Covid-19) to c v pandemic, global efforts in the fight against TB have either stalled or regressive.
The President said in spite of the noted setback, Zambia stands as a country that has achieved remarkable success in meeting key TB targets.
Zambia is one of the 30 countries with a burden of TB, with as many as 60, 000 people falling ill and over 2000 dying from the disease annually.
Health Minister Sylvia Tembo-Masebo
