Belarus To Get $14 Million Grant To Fight Tuberculosis
Belarus will receive a U.S. $14 million grant from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria to implement the state program Tuberculosis, Levan Bouadze, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative in Belarus, told reporters.
The UNDP is the recipient of the grant. Implementing the project will be the Health Ministry and department for administration of punishment with the Interior Ministry in association with Red Cross.
“The grant will finance the program in 2007-2012. The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria will initially allocate $5 million for the first two years and then assess preliminary results to decide on the remainder,” project coordinator Larisa Savischeva said.
It is planned to assist the Health Ministry and department for administration of punishment with the Interior Ministry in purchasing medications and train personnel.
The UNDP believes the program will result in a reduction in the number of TB cases to 49 per 100,000 from 59 by 2012. Successful treatment rate is expected to increase to 85% from 74%.
In 2007, 4,872 new TB incidents were detected, thus bringing it to 50.2 per 100,000 population, down 4.9% from 2006.
March 24, 2008, the World Tuberculosis Day, will see the launch of the national information campaign “I can Stop Tuberculosis”. This campaign will be conducted within the project “Support of the National Programme “Tuberculosis” in the Republic of Belarus” implemented by UNDP in partnership with the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Interior and the Belarusian Red Cross.
On Monday, March 24, all the regions of Belarus will host the Day of Health dedicated to the TB problem. In the course of the campaign preventive and educational activities, as well as showing the TB social ads will be carried out within one month in healthcare organizations, educational institutions, enterprises and health schools. TB dispensaries will host the Day of the Open Doors, providing all comers with free check-ups and consultations of the qualified specialists.
During 2008, information and educational leaflets, posters, brochures and booklets will be distributed among the population.
“It is impossible to make progress in the fight against tuberculosis without vigorous information and educational activities, without consolidated efforts of medical workers and patients, scientists and teachers, public and state organizations, mass media, local communities, without involving each and every person,” Levan Bouadze, acting UNDP Resident Representative in Belarus, said. “Such a campaign provides a unique opportunity to raise the awareness of the population towards the danger of TB infection, and helps to spur the fight against the disease at the national, regional and local level.”
Despite the recent progress in TB detection, treatment and prevention, tuberculosis still remains a global threat. According to the World Health Organization, every year almost 9 million people get infected; more than 1.5 million people die due to TB.
The Government of Belarus keeps the TB situation under control. 2007 saw a significant improvement of the epidemiological situation. Nevertheless, reduction of the TB spread rate still remains an issue of the day.