DUSHANBE, March 28, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund) intends to start treatment of 50 multiresistant TB sufferers in Tajikistan this year as part of Round 6 of the Global Fund Grant, according to Saleban Omar Saleban Omar, a program manager for the UNDP, which distributes Global Fund money in Tajikistan.

According to him, they are currently working on detecting the multiresistant TB cases in two pilot districts -- in Dushanbe and Roudaki.  “The exact number of multiresistant TB sufferers is not yet known; however, according to rating data, the number of multiresistant TB sufferers in the country is some 3,000,” Saleban Omar said.

The program manager noted that the multiresistant form of tuberculosis had appeared in the country because after collapse of the Soviet Union Tajikistan had not actively fighting TB.

In all, Round 6 of the Global Fund Grant is expected to provide medical treatment for some 700 multiresistant TB sufferers in Tajikistan.  Treatment of primary TB takes some 6-8 months, while treatment of the multiresistant TB requires 24 months and significant funds.

The Global Fund is one of the biggest aid agencies operating in Tajikistan.  It has allocated almost 15 million US dollars to the country between 2007 and 2012 to fight TB.  Most of these funds go to the national TB program.

Tuberculosis is one of the biggest public health problems in the country.  The January 9, 2009 BBC’s item titled “Life in Tajikistan''s ''death valley” noted that  a 2006 World Health Organization (WHO) report estimated that the infection rate was at epidemic levels - 204 cases per 100,000 of the population, compared with about 15 in western Europe.  “Figures from the Tajik health ministry paint a less alarming picture.  They suggest that in the same year there were just 75 new cases of TB.  But both agree that, since then, cases have risen,” the article said.  Aid agencies claim the situation is especially bad in rural areas because they are facing more and more cases of TB which is resistant to multiple drugs.