Petronella Sibeene
8 February 2008
Otjiwarongo — The Government has declared tuberculosis (TB) a health emergency in Namibia as the country's prevalence rate ranks second in the world after Swaziland.
Tuberculosis remains one of the major problems in the country with a prevalence rate of 635 out of 100000 people.
Minister of Health and Social Services, Dr Richard Kamwi, says tuberculosis co-infection with HIV/Aids renders it a disease with a burden of high proportions such that it has been declared a health emergency in Namibia.
In 2006 only, the country reported 15771 TB cases which translated into 765 TB cases per 100000 people. The figures make Namibia one of the worst affected countries in the world.
Regions heavily burdened by the disease are Erongo, Hardap, Karas and Oshikoto, all reporting notification rates of over 1000 TB cases for every 100000 people.
World Health Organisation (WHO) experts say the country can only successfully treat 75 percent of the cases and not the national target of 85 percent.
In an effort to bring down the high numbers of infections, Kamwi says the health ministry will soon embark on a public communication programme based on the WHO Communication-for-Behavioural-Change programme.
The programme supported by the Global Fund will increase public awareness using new strategies that will result in change in behaviour, especially that related to seeking early assistance by individuals with possible TB infection.
In 1999, the ministry introduced the Multi-Drug Resistant Tuberculosis in its hospitals. Through that, the health sector reduced the number of deaths by seven percent.
TB is aggravated by HIV/Aids mainly due to a weak immune system. However, a person can test TB positive and be HIV negative.
TB is curable even in people living with HIV/Aids provided one completes the course. The prevalence of TB in persons infected with HIV/Aids is estimated at 50 to 60 percent, 2005 official statistics show.
TB is contagious and one of the common diseases that lead to death. The disease is very difficult to control under circumstances associated with poverty.
With the vicious cycle of poverty and disease prevailing in Namibia, it becomes imperative that every individual plays an active role in controlling the disease, the minister said.
Last year, the Government allocated N$1.68 billion to the Ministry of Health and a huge chunk of this amount was directed towards the fight against TB.
Development partners such as the United States of America International Development (USAID) have invested much of the resources in addressing the TB problem in Namibia. During the 2007 financial year, USAID allocated about N$14 million to the ministry.
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