WHO urges stronger action to fight Tuberculosis in Afghanistan

KABUL (Pajhwok): The World Health Organisation has called for collective action to expand early detection and improve access to treatment for tuberculosis (TB) in Afghanistan.

March 24 marks World Tuberculosis Day, observed annually to raise public awareness about the global TB epidemic and ongoing efforts to eliminate the disease.

Dr Edwin Ceniza Salvador, WHO representative in Afghanistan, emphasised the need for joint efforts to strengthen early diagnosis, improve access to treatment, and ensure that no one is left behind.

He said ending tuberculosis was not merely an aspiration, but an achievable goal.

He noted that tuberculosis remained a major public health burden in Afghanistan, with thousands of people infected each year and many cases still going undiagnosed.

Last year, Sharafat Zaman, spokesman for the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), said diagnostic and treatment services for tuberculosis were currently provided free of charge at 3,189 health centres across the country, highlighting the importance of continued international support.

kk/sa