KABUL (SW) – Officials from the National Tuberculosis Control Program at the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) say that in 2023, 49,533 positive cases of tuberculosis (TB) have been recorded across Afghanistan, among which at least 9,900 individuals have lost their lives.
On Sunday, March. 24. on ocassion of World TB Day, Noor Aqa Zahid, Head of the Public Awareness Department of the National Tuberculosis Control Program at MoPH, says that among the positive cases recorded, 54% were women and 22% were children. “The remainder are men. We have 872 diagnostic and treatment centers for this disease across Afghanistan.”
However, patients with tuberculosis at the Afghan-Japan Hospital attribute their contracting of TB to delayed diagnosis and treatment of seasonal illnesses.
Ziyagul, whose two young daughters are suffering from tuberculosis, tells Salam Watandar, “My second daughter has been infected for two years, and my elder daughter has been sick for four years. Both of them have tuberculosis. Despite taking medication for six months, [their health condition] did not improve. Initially, they had only cough and slight hair loss, but now this disease has taken over. They cough a lot, vomit, and cannot digest anything.”
Adil Shah, another patient who is also suffering from tuberculosis and has visited the TB Control Department at the Afghan-Japan Hospital for his treatment, says that now his young daughter has also been affected by the disease. “It has been two months since I have been admitted here. I’m losing weight, coughing, and having a fever; my little daughter has also recently contracted the illness.”
Specialist doctors at tge Afghan-Japan Hospital also report an increase in positive cases of tuberculosis in the country following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease.
Sayed Ali Laly, a specialist in respiratory diseases and tuberculosis at the hospital, confirms the rise in positive cases of TB in recent years.
“Over 100 individuals visit our tuberculosis diagnosis and treatment department daily in our hospital. Compared to previous years, the number of patients with this disease, especially among women, is increasing.”
Doctors cite the main factors contributing to contracting tuberculosis as lowered body immunity due to being affected by diseases such as diabetes or malnutrition.
Early diagnosis and treatment, maintaining cleanliness, proper nutrition, and boosting the body’s resistance are among the most important ways to prevent contracting tuberculosis.
