Officials from Afghanistan’s Ministry of Public Health stated today (Monday, March 24) at a gathering in Kabul, marking World Tuberculosis Day, that around 75,000 people in Afghanistan contract tuberculosis each year, with 10,000 of them losing their lives.
Abdul Wali Haqqani, Deputy Minister for Health Services, said at the event that controlling tuberculosis is beyond the ministry’s capacity and requires cooperation from international organizations and institutions.
He explained, “According to estimates by the World Health Organization (WHO), 180 out of every 100,000 people contract tuberculosis. Based on Afghanistan’s population, this equates to around 75,000 cases annually, resulting in about 10,000 deaths. Controlling tuberculosis is beyond our ministry’s capability.”
Meanwhile, WHO officials in Afghanistan reported that tuberculosis cases in the country increased by 3.3% last year.
Edwin Sinez Salvadore, head of WHO in Afghanistan, stated, “Last year, over 50,000 positive tuberculosis cases were recorded in Afghanistan, compared to over 49,000 the previous year, indicating a 3.3% increase. We are making efforts to combat this disease.”
Representatives from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Afghanistan also emphasized the importance of eradicating tuberculosis at the event.
