TB deaths halved in Afghanistan

Afghanistan has halved the number of deaths caused by TB in recent months, though health officials have warned that the disease still represents a major public health problem for the country.

New figures published by the Afghani Ministry for Health and the World Health Organization (WHO) revealed that an estimated 10,000 people were dying from TB annually, compared to the 20,000 previously reported early last year.

Experts ascribed the reduction to improved provision of TB diagnosis and treatment, with the number of facilities providing care increasing from 36 in 2001 to 991, the WHO told IRIN.

However, officials also told the website that Afghanistan is still one of 22 high-burden countries worldwide where TB is considered a major problem, and the continued success of programmes depended on funding issues.

"The whole TB control programme in Afghanistan is based on donors’ support," Karam Shah, of the WHO, said. "Afghanistan will be able to eliminate TB by 2050 only if it is enabled to sustain its efforts in the long-term."

Figures published by the WHO in 2006 indicated that the country ranked 17th in the organisation's list of nations where TB was classed as a major public health problem.

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