Online Reporter
Moffat Mungazi
Health Reporter
ZIMBABWE continues scoring major milestones in the fight against tuberculosis (TB), with the country’s sustained efforts in the prevention and treatment of the disease resulting in significant reduction of mortality rate from 10 percent to seven percent.
In an interview, national TB control programme deputy director in the Ministry of Health and Child Care Dr Fungai Kavenga said over the years the country has reduced the prevalence of TB.
“Zimbabwe has made significant progress in the fight against TB. Over the years, we have reduced the incidence of the disease and in 2021 we were removed from the list of top 30 high burdened countries. This came as a result of our sustained efforts in TB prevention and universal access to screening and rapid diagnostics.
“We have also engaged communities, putting then at the centre of TB response programmes and this has gone a long way in ensuring that there is access to TB services and the affected people are supported adequately,” he said.
Dr Kavenga said Government is exploring new innovations to sustain the prevention and treatment programmes.
“Going forward, we want to sustain these gains by ensuring that we take up new innovations and new tools and strengthen community engagement as we forge ahead with our vision of a TB-free Zimbabwe by 2030,” he said.
