The delegation of invited guests at Mathare Youth Sports Association Grounds to commemorate World TB Day 2018 led by CS Health Mrs Sicily Kariuki and US Ambassador Robert Godec
On March 24, this year, Kenya joined the world in commemorating World Tuberculosis (TB) Day to raise and build public awareness about the devastating health, social and economic consequences of TB and to step up efforts to end the TB epidemic. The day provides a platform to shine the spotlight on the disease and mobilise social and political commitment to accelerate efforts to end TB.
Due to its communicable nature, everyone is at risk of TB infection. There has been an increase in forms of TB that resist treatment with common medicines. This emergence of multi-drug resistant TB (MDR TB) poses a major health threat and risks undoing the gains made in the fight against TB. Untreated TB patients fuel the spread of TB to other people; those they are in close contact with at home, at work, in places of worship or anywhere where people congregate.
The 2018 global theme was “Wanted: Leaders for a TB free World” customised for Kenya’s context to: “Mulika TB! Maliza TB! Ni Jukumu Langu” and a call to action for all to Get Tested, Get Treated, Get Cured for TB.
To commemorate World TB Day 2018, CHS joined the Ministry of Health and other TB partners within Nairobi County at the Mathare Youth Sports Association (MYSA) Grounds in Emabakasi West. Gracing the event, was the Cabinet Secretary (CS) of Health, Mrs Sicily Kariuki EGH, US Ambassador Robert Godec, Nairobi County Chief Executive Committee Member for Health Dr Hitan Majevdia, World Health Organisation Country Representative – Dr Rudolf Eggers, among other guests.
A football tournament dubbed ‘Mulika TB Tournament’ sponsored by AHF saw local football teams play and promote TB messages. The final game was officially kicked off by the Health CS as TB and HIV screening was conducted with the support of partners like the CHS through the USAID funded TB ARC activity. The tournament aimed to create public awareness that TB is preventable, treatable and curable.
Speaking at the event, Mrs Sicily Kariuki noted that, “Kenya is currently working towards achieving universal health coverage. The Ministry has decentralised TB services across all 47 counties and to the lowest level of the health system. The ministry recently began paying NHIF for all multi-drug resistant TB patients. This means that all drug resistant TB patients can now receive their medication at ease.”
The Ministry is striving to ensure that quality, affordable and accessible services are provided to all Kenyans.
The US Ambassador to Kenya, Robert Godec hoped that Kenya shall continue her efforts to increase her commitments to end TB through all available channels. Particularly, through the highest-level participation in the upcoming UN High-Level Meeting on TB in New York.
This, he said, will be an opportunity to demonstrate Kenya’s highest level of political commitment in making national investments towards ending TB, and the resulting political declaration on TB will form the basis for the future of Kenya’s TB response.
A TB-free world can only be achieved through leaders who champion efforts to end TB from the local to national level. Each person has a role to play and CHS calls for each Kenyan to take the lead towards ending TB.
A total of 237 people were screened for TB.
Mulika TB Maliza TB ni jukumu langu, na jukumu lako pia!