First Lady Madam Chakwera shares Malawi’s success in TB fight in New York

Malawi’s First Lady Monica Chakwera has shared the successes of Malawi in fighting against tuberculosis (TB) in the country during  the End Tuberculosis Innovation Summit held alongside the UN General Assembly (UNGA).

Madam Chakwera told the summit on Tuesday that Malawi has reduced incidences of TB, dropping from 197 cases per 100,000 individuals in 2015 to just 125 cases per 100,000 people in 2022.

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“Nevertheless, my deep concern lies with the women and girls residing in rural areas who endure arduous journeys to access quality TB treatment,” she said.

 To address this issue, Chakwera said, she advocates for the implementation of community and patient centred treatment initiatives which bring services closer to people in communities to facilitate early diagnosis for patients. 

“It is also crucial to introduce strategies such as TB mobile diagnostics, community-based sputum collection points, and door-to-door screening as pivotal measures in our mission to eliminate TB by 2030,” she said.

As the newly appointed Ambassador for the Stop TB Partnership in Malawi and throughout Africa, Madam Chakwera called upon a collaborative workforce to unite, mobilize resources, and effectively implement the strategies to combat TB in Malawi and across the entire African continent.

 Our collective efforts aim to move us closer to the ultimate goal of eradicating TB, she emphasized.

During the summit, Madam Chakwera engaged in discussion with the Executive Director of Stop TB Partnership in Switzerland,  Dr Lucica Ditiu.