Ministry pledges to end TB deaths

Talent Gore

THE Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) has pledged to improve accountability and end Tuberculosis (TB) deaths by 2030.

Speaking at the launch of a Multisectoral Accountability Framework for TB (MAF-TB) in Harare yesterday, MoHCC director public health, Dr Munyaradzi Dobbie, said the MAF-TB would improve accountability and TB case finding outcomes ahead of the target to end TB deaths by 2030.

Dr Dobbie said there were still programmatic gaps in TB case findings in the country.

“There are still programmatic gaps in TB case finding, including missed opportunities along the TB screening, diagnosis care cascade, sub-optimum treatment outcomes compounded by patient delays in seeking care and lack of treatment support even though 80 percent of TB patients experienced catastrophic costs.

“To address the challenges effectively and efficiently there is a need for a multisectoral approach and active participation of all sectors that contribute to health.”

Dr Dobbie said that ending TB remains a priority for the MoHCC and in recent years, Zimbabwe invested in TB by adopting innovative tools and strategies in line with global best practices.

“The strategies have contributed to sustainable gains and key impact and outcome indicators on TB.

“Consequently, Zimbabwe is among seven high TB burden countries that achieved the 2020 milestones of 20 percent reduction in TB incidence compared to the 2015 baseline.

“Premised on this great achievement, Zimbabwe was removed from the top countries in Africa from the world’s top 30 list with triple burden of TB, HIV and Multi Drug Resistant TB (MDR-TB).”