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DR Congo: Health Minister Issues Rallying Call to the fight Tuberculosis

March 27, 2022

By Badylon Kawanda Bakiman [caption id="attachment_95228" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Dr. Jean-Jacques Mbungani, National Minister of Public Health, Hygiene and Prevention in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)[/caption] Dr. Jean-Jacques Mbungani, National Minister of Public Health, Hygiene and Prevention in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has just stepped up to the front line. He invited all sectors of national life to take ownership of the fight against "Tuberculosis" in order to eliminate this disease by 2030.   “As part of the multisectoral fight, I make a strong appeal to all the vital sectors of our country and those of Kwilu province to take ownership of the fight against tuberculosis,” he said. “The DRC, our country, is paying a heavy price linked to this disease. It ranks second in Africa. Last year, that is to say in 2021, despite the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, the country, through the “National Tuberculosis Control Programme”, notified more than 216,000 cases of tuberculosis, including 120,724 men, 92,498 women and 26,550 children. The most affected provinces are Kinshasa, followed by Kasaï Oriental, Haut-Katanga, Kwilu and Sud-Kivu. The Kwilu where we are now, is the fourth most endemic province for tuberculosis. The choice to celebrate World Tuberculosis Day in this province is no coincidence,” said the Minister of Health. According to him, this day is also an opportunity to sensitize the living forces not only of Kwilu, but also those of the whole country on the need to get involved in the fight against this disease. Now is also the time to remind you that effective drugs exist against this disease. Above all, they are free throughout the national territory. Because many of our compatriots are still dying of tuberculosis even though all of this is preventable,” he said. On a global level, this year's theme chosen by the World Health Organization is "investing to save lives". In the DRC, the national sub-theme is “Investing in the fight against tuberculosis is investing in universal health coverage”. “This theme places particular emphasis on access to quality healthcare services in the fight against tuberculosis. But resources also need to be mobilized if we are to eliminate TB by 2030,” he explained. For his part, while wholeheartedly thanking the Ministry of Health for having chosen the province of Kwilu to celebrate this day, Félicien Kiway, vice-governor of the province of Kwilu, explained the efforts that the provincial government of Kwilu combines to fight this disease. For his part, while wholeheartedly thanking the Ministry of Health for having chosen the province of Kwilu to celebrate this day, Félicien Kiway, vice-governor of the province of Kwilu, explained the efforts that the provincial government of Kwilu combines to fight this disease. The country's international partners who support the DRC in the fight against tuberculosis have expressed their desire to continue this action with the country.

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