Kampala (August 8, 2018) – In a press statement released on Wednesday the 8th of August, members of the Global TB Caucus - Africa called on world leaders to acknowledge the devastating impact of paediatric TB on hapless children and their future and implement interventions that will facilitate finding and treating missing children’s.
This came during an MP’s delegation to Uganda hosted by the International Union against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, (IUATLD) the Global TB Caucus, Uganda Parliamentary TB Caucus, Uganda Government and Stop TB Partnership Uganda to visit facilities and beneficiaries of the DETECT Child TB project. DETECT Child TB project is a two-year project funded by the IUALTD designed to address challenges that contributed to low case detection of TB among children. The project aims at strengthening district and community level health delivery systems in Wakiso and Kabarole districts in Uganda to improve childhood TB case finding, treatment and prevention.
The nine- members delegation included a team of four MPs from Uganda (Hon. Ssembatya Edward, Hon. Ssebikaali Joel, Hon. Kemirembe Pauline Kyaka, Hon. Baseke Fred, Hon. Bukenya Micheal Iga, Hon. Rwakimari Beatrice, Hon. Winifred Masiko - Founding MP of the TB caucus), Hon. Moshoeshoe Fako, Lesotho, Hon. Elma Dienda, Namibia, Hon. Mark Botomani, Malawi and Hon. Zaynab Vulu Tanzania. In a statement, Hon. Joel Ssebekali MP, Uganda, reiterated that it was a matter of urgency to improve childhood TB case finding, treatment and prevention in Uganda where half the population is aged below 15. Available data indicates that an estimated 1 million children under the age of 15 become sick with tuberculosis each year globally. Of those, 239,000—nearly one in every four die from the disease. Children with TB rarely die if they receive standard TB treatment. The report also reveals that 90% of children who die from TB worldwide are those left untreated. These massive deaths among children results from systematic disregard for children’s rights to health.
“It is truly encouraging to see a huge turnout of parliamentarians coming out to take lead in supporting programs whose role is critical to ending Child TB." It is a real indicator that the purpose for which the Parliamentary caucus was created is being met. I am happy to be part of those who will stand to be counted when those who contributed to ending Paediatric TB in Africa are called to stand” said Hon. Moshoeshoe Fako from Lesotho.
The visit comes just a month ahead of the first ever United Nations High-Level Meeting on scheduled for the September 26, 2018. The delegation called out all African Heads of State to attend the High-Level Meeting. The HLM is unique opportunity for world leaders to make the specific and impactful commitments necessary to end the tuberculosis epidemic, which was named the leading infectious disease killer worldwide by WHO in 2014.
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