KABUL (Pajhwok): World Tuberculosis Day was observed in northern Samangan on Tuesday, with officials reporting 21 deaths from the disease in the past one year in the province.
The Provincial Public Health Department says the World Tuberculosis Day was celebrated to create awareness about and eliminate tuberculosis in the country, especially in Samangan province.
The event highlighted necessary measures and stressed the need for raising awareness about ways to prevent the disease
Dr. Usman Hamidi, the director of Samangan provincial hospital, speaking on the occasion, said eight TB treatment centers were operational in the province.
He said 660 positive cases of TB detected in 8,408 suspected patients last year.
According to him, out of 660 people with tuberculosis, a number of them have been cured, but 21 others died due to the disease and this year also 337 positive cases have been registered in Samangan.
He asked the Ministry of Public Health to activate inpatient department for people suffering from TB in the hospital so that acute patients could be treated in a better way.
On the occasion, Dr Mansour Sawiz, head of infectious diseases at the public health department, read out a message from the Public Health Minister.
The minister said the number of TB diagnosis centers had been increased to 877 in the country.
He also talked about measures to control the disease in prisons and in big cities by installing modern diagnostic machines.
According to the public health minister, about 12,000 people have died due to TB across the country last year.
sa/ma
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