To end tuberculosis and protect its citizens, Angola has been intensifying its actions to fight tuberculosis (TB), which resulted in a significant improvement in the service network’s coverage in 2018.

According to the Secretary of State for Public Health, Professor Dr. Carlos Pinto de Sousa, tuberculosis represents the 3rd leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the country, which requires everyone’s participation to eliminate it.

“Tuberculosis is not just a public health problem; it’s also a poverty problem. The Angolan government considers its elimination a priority and an opportunity for the country’s social and economic development.”

Despite the ongoing efforts, Angola is among the 20 countries most affected by tuberculosis worldwide, with an annual average of 65,000 new cases of tuberculosis in the last five years. Several challenges remain, especially in regions such as Benguela, Namibe and Luanda, where incidence and prevalence rates continue to be higher than the national average.

This data underlines the urgency of collective action to tackle the current TB epidemic and highlights the need for joint and sustained efforts to end TB in Angola through coordinated actions, such as intensifying prevention and treatment measures, particularly in critical areas, while maintaining a global effort to reduce the burden of tuberculosis throughout the country.

To accelerate action and end TB, WHO supported revising the National TB Strategic Plan 2018-2022 and developing a new TB Strategic Plan (PEN TB 2023-2027). This intervention is in line with the political declaration of the Heads of State and Government and the representatives of States and Governments on the “commitment to end the tuberculosis epidemic by 2030”, signed at the second United Nations high-level meeting on tuberculosis, held in September 2023. 

The Acting WHO Representative in Angola, Dr Yoti Zabulon, said it is necessary to continue working together to develop innovative approaches to reach vulnerable populations and ensure they have access to care and quality management of tuberculosis.

“The WHO congratulates Angola on the expansion of the network of tuberculosis services to put an end to this disease. We believe that the political commitment shown by the government, coupled with future swift measures, such as increased investment, adoption of innovations and the new WHO recommendations for the elimination of TB, as well as the strengthening of multisectoral and inter-country collaboration, can accelerate the response to TB, saving millions of lives of our citizens.”

Worldwide, TB is the second leading cause of infectious death after COVID-19. Every year, around 1.3 million people lose their lives, and around 10.6 million are affected by the disease.

This year’s World TB Day, March 24, is celebrated under the theme “Yes, we can end tuberculosis.” It calls for accelerated action and reflection on the progress made and the challenges facing our efforts to eliminate tuberculosis as a public health threat.

In Angola, World TB Day was marked by a national workshop on tuberculosis and other activities in many provinces, with the participation of various strategic partners in the fight against this epidemic.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Health Organization (WHO) – Angola.

When mother-of-three Mamfe Motloheloa tested positive for tuberculosis (TB), the diagnosis not only saved her life, but also those of her children. “My condition was critical. I was rushed from the clinic to the hospital, where my treatment journey started,” recalls Motloheloa. 

After she was discharged from hospital following a week of treatment to stabilize her condition, an active case-finding team was dispatched to her home. The team screened the children and, concerned by what they found, referred them to the health facility. The results of an x-ray showed that they too had TB.

“They were enrolled in treatment, which is now complete and they are all healthy again,” says Motloheloa.

The timely response by health care workers at the Samaria Clinic in Motloheloa’s home village of Motloi, in Lesotho’s Mafeteng District, reflects a focus by the country’s health authorities, supported by partners like World Health Organization (WHO), to identify “missing” people with TB and initiate treatment to save lives.

While TB incidence in Lesotho has dropped by 13% to 661 cases per every 100 000 people in the past decade, the country still has one of the highest incidences in the world. Case-finding has increased from 32% in 2020 to 47% in 2023 but needs to almost double to reach national and global targets for ending TB by 2030.

“We have a major challenge of tracing the ‘invisible patients’ because people move a lot. Some reside in difficult terrains and they cannot access health centres in time,” says Dr Llang Maama, who heads Lesotho’s national TB programme in the Ministry of Health.

Health facilities are critical in the drive to intensify active case finding and, according to Maama, most undiagnosed cases of TB are identified at a health facility level. This means that people who test positive can be immediately placed onto treatment and cured. Treatment coverage of people diagnosed with TB is 77%, meaning that the 90% target is well within reach.

The approach aligns with WHO guidance that active case-finding, or systematic screening for TB, is an important, efficient and cost-effective tool help address diagnosis and treatment delays, halting unnecessary spread of the disease.

Motloheloa is grateful that she and her children got the treatment they needed. “I am so happy that they are now back at school,” she says, adding that the clinic also assisted the family with clothing and food, including food supplements to boost their recovery.

“They always call me to check if I am doing fine,” she adds.

Maphakiso Maqeba, the head nurse at Samaria Clinic, says she is delighted when TB treatment can help families regain their health. “The children are now cured and I’m particularly happy about Ms Motloheloa’s recovery. She comes in regularly for check-ups,” she says.

The Government has also implemented other innovations to ramp up the TB response. This includes digital technology in the form the Smart Pill Box, to help patients adhere to their treatment plans by automatically indicating when they should take their treatment, along with using artificial intelligence to aid TB screening efforts.

Along with providing guidance for the adoption of new guidelines for TB prevention and treatment, WHO has supported Lesotho’s Health Ministry to train all health care workers, focusing on treatment of people with multi-drug resistant TB. The Organization has also provided technical support to the Ministry of Health to conduct the joint TB/HIV epidemiological and programmatic review. These reviews assist the Ministry in understanding the trends of TB infection in the country and how the programme is performing.

On World TB Day on 24 March 2024, the country will launch the Multisectoral Accountability Framework for TB, a tool developed by WHO to foster multisectoral collaborations and accountability for putting political commitments to end TB into practice.

“Lesotho remains a high TB burden country. We now understand the country’s epidemiology and programmatic gaps. We have mobilized resources from the Global Fund and the United States President’s Emergency Fund for AIDS Relief. We are at a critical time to now act with the available tools that we have to meet the targets of ending TB by 2030,” says Dr Francis Mupeta, WHO Lesotho’s Technical Officer for the TB/HIV programme.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Health Organization (WHO) – Lesotho.

Addressing the impact of insecurity on the lives and livelihoods of local communities remains a priority for residents of Bangasu in Yambio County.

To improve the relationship between uniformed personnel and civilians, seventeen representatives of organized forces and the local community, including refugees and returnees, have formed an early warning working group hoped to better protect civilians and their property.

This group was established after the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) organized a two-day workshop to raise awareness about protection matters, the revitalized peace agreement, and the UNMISS mandate.

Miamangawai Luize, a youth leader in the area, was happy about learning more about his community’s role in peacebuilding and debunking misinformation.

“I have also gained knowledge about the process leading up to the upcoming December 2024 and related protection issues,” he said.

Luiza Mina, a refugee attending the workshop, was delighted to hear about how she can contribute to the safety of her host community.

“This is the first training I attend and now I will educate my fellow refugees on how to work to keep everyone safe,” she said. 

Tahiru Ibrahim, an UNMISS representative, said that the UN Peacekeeping mission is planning to replicate this activity across Western Equatoria.

“I think this kind of protection groups will help the authorities receive early security alerts that will help them act to deter violence and curb crimes,” he averred.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).