KATHMANDU, Feb 16: More than half million people died of tuberculosis in the SAARC countries in 2017. As many as 380 million people suffered from the disease while only 250 people received treatment.
Director at SAARC Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS Centre, Dr Rajendra Pant, said 1.8 million people died of tuberculosis last year, while 4.3 people were deprived of treatment the world-over last year.
Similarly, nearly 70,000 people died of HIV/AIDS in the SAARC countries in 2017, while 2.3 million are suffering from HIV. With this in the background, the SAARC parliamentary meeting is being held in Kathmandu on coming May 2 and 3.
Free TB screening in eight wards of KMC
The meeting is being held for the first time with the joint initiative of Ministry of Health and Population, House of Representatives' Education and Health Committee and SAARC Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS Centre.
The meeting holds discussion on status of the disease, promotion of investment to curb the disease, relations of the interstate acts and rules, among others.
At a time when the donor agencies have reduced the assistance on tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS, advocacy is made for the government to augment investment.
The meeting would be attended by high level officials from the Health Ministry of the SAARC countries.
RSS
