USAID Pledges $3M To Expand TB Control Programs in Four African Countries

The U.S. Agency for International Development on March 24 announced that it has pledged approximately $3.2 million to expand the national tuberculosis control programs in Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania and Zambia, according to a USAID release. All four nations currently are included as focus countries under the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief and implement the internationally recognized TB control strategy DOTS, or directly observed treatment, short-course. "An overwhelming 98% of the two million annual TB deaths -- and some 95% of all new cases - occur in developing countries," Andrew Natsios, a USAID administrator, said, adding, "If we are to eliminate tuberculosis, a sister to HIV and AIDS, we must continue to strengthen labs to diagnose TB, train more health workers and mobilize communities. We must ensure that all persons living with HIV/AIDS have access to prompt TB care. Our new programs in these countries will enhance TB treatment efforts, while tackling TB and HIV/AIDS co-infection at the same time" (USAID release, 3/24).