Experts in the prevention and management of tuberculosis (TB) and representatives of health ministries from 18 countries in southern and eastern Africa have established the ‘South and Eastern African Regional TB Network (SEARN-TB).
Development Diaries reports that SEARN-TB aims to improve the coordination and harmonisation of TB control strategies.
Representatives from Botswana, Comoros, Djibouti, Uganda, Ethiopia, Botswana, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Seychelles, Somaliland, Zimbabwe, Eswatini, Zambia, Somalia Republic formed the network.
However, there are still major barriers to ending TB like limited access to health services, inadequate health infrastructure, insufficient quality of care, inadequate human and financial resources for health and inadequate social protection.
‘TB research networks are essential to boost national capacities for TB research and innovation and generate quality evidence for TB patient-centered prevention, treatment, and care’, acting Representative of WHO Ethiopia, Dr Nonhlanhla Dlamini, said.
‘It is also an important opportunity for us in the region to work collaboratively towards achieving the End TB goals’.
She said that the network would facilitate greater communication and cooperation between National TB Programmes (NTPs) and partners, promote sharing of best practices for TB control across the member states, and enhance advocacy and resource mobilisation to support national efforts.
According to the WHO’s End TB Strategy, countries are to reduce TB deaths by 75 percent and cases by 50 percent by 2025 compared with the 2015 levels.
Photo source: WHO
