WHO UGANDA NEWS BULLETIN Volume 5 Issue 8: 30th March 2017

GOVERNMENT AND PARTNERS UNITE TO END TB IN UGANDA

Hon. Opendi (red) hands the Best Performing District award Dr. Abel Nkolo (WHO National Professional Office/ TB) delivered
to Dokolo District chairperson; Mr. Frederick Odongo (seated) remarks on behalf of the WHO Representative in Uganda
at the commemoration

The Minister of State for Health in Charge of General Duties, The Tororo District Health Officer, Dr. David Okumu, reported
Hon. Sarah Opendi, has urged Ugandans to unite and end that in 2016, the district was able to notify 412 cases, but over 400
Tuberculosis (TB) and Leprosy in Uganda. This was during the cases remained undetected in the community.
annual commemoration of the World TB day held at Atiri Primary
School grounds in Tororo District under the theme Unite to End 59% of the detected cases started and completed treatment
TB with the slogan Find the missing cases. and were declared cured, but this is still below the WHO
target of achieving 85% of treatment outcomes, he said. Dr.
Echoing the days theme Hon Opendi pointed out that TB is one Okumu committed the district health team to find the missing
of the killer diseases and through increased community patients and start them on TB treatment to tackle the disease in
outreach and surveillance, we can wipe it out of Uganda. Tororo district.
Indeed active surveillance and community involvement are some
of the effective interventions emphasized by the World Health At the end of the commemoration, the Stop TB partnership and
Organization (WHO) in the Global TB Strategy. National TB and Leprosy Programme gave awards to districts
that had done excellent work in tackling TB. Dokolo district was
Hon. Opendi recognized the tremendous work done by partners in awarded for being the best performing district in the 2015 and
tackling TB in Uganda noting that with support from partners; 2016 cohorts, Ngora district was the best improved district in the
diligence of health workers to find and treat TB cases; and same cohorts while Tororo district was awarded for organizing
involvement of the communities, TB will be tackled effectively. and hosting the national commemoration.

WHO was represented at the function by Dr. Abel Nkolo,
National Professional Officer/TB who delivered remarks on
behalf of the Acting WHO Representative in Uganda Dr. Tarande
Constant Manzila. Using facts and figures from WHO, Dr.
Manzila highlighted TB as one of the 10 causes of death
worldwide.
There were many activities at the event with schools and drama
groups performing advocacy theatrics to emphasize the need to
reach and test every patient and start them on treatment to end
TB in Uganda. There were also support and solidarity messages
from by representatives of the German Leprosy and TB Relief
Association as well as political leaders.

Notably, TB cases are falling globally, 10.4 million new

cases were estimated by WHO to occur in 2015, although a
third of these are still not diagnosed and treated by
national TB control programmes. he said.

Dr. Manzila referred to 2014 targets set by countries in the

African region to reduce TB deaths by 75% and new TB cases by
50% by 2025, saying, for Uganda to achieve these targets, the
country should intensify efforts to reach, treat and cure everyone
with TB which in turn will immensely contribute to achieving
Universal Health Coverage.
HIV and TB testing services were also available at the commemoration 1

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