World Tuberculosis Day was observed today, 24 March, on a national level, with a ceremony organized at Orotta Referral Hospital Hall under the theme “Yes! We Can End Tuberculosis.”
Sister Hiwet Negusse, head of TB and Leprosy Control at the Ministry of Health, emphasized that World TB Day serves as an opportunity to renew commitments, inspire action, and work towards ending TB. She called for integrated efforts to implement the Ministry of Health’s initiative aimed at controlling the prevalence of the disease.
Sister Hiwet also noted a significant increase in the cure rate of the disease, reaching 94% at the national level, and expressed appreciation for the Ministry of Health’s efforts in introducing modern diagnostic instruments.
Dr. Nonso Ejofor, Representative of WHO in Eritrea, highlighted that in 2022, approximately 2.5 million people worldwide were infected with Tuberculosis, resulting in 424 thousand deaths. He stressed the urgent need for integrated efforts to eradicate the disease permanently.
The event featured a general knowledge competition among women from the 13 sub-zones of the Central Region, as well as a debating and narration contest involving 22 high school students from the region.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Information, Eritrea.