The World Health Organisation (WHO) has applauded Bulawayo for taking great strides towards eradicating Tuberculosis (TB).
In a speech read on his behalf over the weekend, Bulawayo major Thaba Moyo revealed WHO had acknowledged the city’s efforts saying it had achieved 83% success rate and was just two percentage points shy of the world body’s target.
“Our programme has achieved a good case holding only 3% defaulter rate against a national target of 5%. The success rate of TB is 83% and approaches the national and the World Health Organisation target of 85%,” he said.
The mayor said his council was working in collaboration with its clinics and international health bodies towards eradication of TB and HIV.
“In the past three years, council has offered collaborative TB/HIV activities at all its clinics and two clinics supported by the International Union Against TB and lung diseases have spearheaded the collaboration,” he said.
But Moyo said Bulawayo would continue its awareness campaigns to reduce the TB notification rate which remains at 540 cases per 100 000 of the population.
“Bulawayo will not rest on its laurels, but will continue to pursue the attainment of the millennium development goal six which addresses combating diseases such as malaria, HIV and Aids and TB,” he said.
