Paheja Siririka
Although significant progress has been made in controlling tuberculosis (TB), Namibia has been flagged as one of the top 10 countries in terms of TB per capita and is thus contributing to the high burden of bacterial infection in the world alongside Angola, Central African Republic, Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Lesotho and Liberia.
Statistics indicate that one in four people or a quarter of the world’s population has what is known as latent TB infection or the germs that cause TB.
Globally, the number of people who fall ill with TB is more in developing countries.
“Globally, the number of people who fall ill with TB disease is more in developing countries. In 2022, Namibia notified 8 604 patients with TB. This reflects an increase of 30% from 6 599 cases in 2021,” states health minister, Dr Kalumbi Shangula.
During the observance of World TB Day last week at Tsumkwe in Otjozondjupa, Shangula said Namibia stands in an unenviable position as one of the top ten countries with the highest burden of TB in the world per capita.
Noticeably, the Tsumkwe constituency is a hotspot for drug-resistant TB and reports the highest number of drug-resistant TB in Namibia.
The Global TB Report indicated that Namibia may have been missing up to 42% of the TB cases, based on 2021 estimates. The reported increase in the number of cases is not necessarily a negative development as it may appear at first glance.
Said Shangula: “The increase shows that our efforts to close the treatment gap are having the desired effect. In this regard, it is important that all those with TB are found and started on treatment without any delay. We must do everything in our power to minimise and disrupt the further spread of the disease. It is encouraging that the current treatment success rate in the country stands at 87%. This is just 3% short of our target of 90%”.
He added that in 2021, they reached 8 964 community members and picked up 89 new people with TB. Seventy-three persons were on treatment at the time.
“In 2022, we reached 1 900 community members and picked up 42 new patients with TB. Our efforts did not only confirm that there are many cases of TB within the community, but they also strengthened our resolve to end TB among this (Tsumkwe) community”.
World Health Organisations representative Dr Charles Sagoe-Moses said the African region is home to 17 of the 30 high-burden TB countries globally, including Namibia.
“There were an estimated 2.5 million TB cases in Africa, which accounted for a quarter of the global burden; however, only 1.4 million (56%) were detected and put on treatment,” he stated.
“Namibia is one of the 30 TB high-burden countries (ranking 9th in the list) with a gradual decline in TB incidence (halved over two decades). The country also has a high burden for TB/HIV with a co-infection rate of 31%. The key risk factors for TB in Namibia include HIV, undernourishment, alcoholism, smoking and comorbidities like diabetes”.
Sagoe-Moses noted there are areas of concern that need redress, as there is a significant proportion of patients with TB, 42% in 2021, still being missed and remaining in the community untreated and transmitting the infection. Children under 15, older men and other risk groups, including miners, inmates, undernourished and informal settlements, as well as isolated communities need more attention.
Cheryl Amoroso from the American embassy said newer and better treatments and tests have been discovered and scaled up across the world and in Namibia.
“The impact has been tremendous through the funding from the US President’s Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief. The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention works with the health ministry at community, facility, district, regional and national levels to strengthen TB services and systems,” she said.
– psiririka@nepc.com.na