DUSHANBE, March 19, 2011, Asia-Plus -- Population’s awareness of TB have improved in recent Ms. Qurbongul Zokirova, chef TB specialist at the Ministry of Health, noted at the conference “Uniting Efforts in Combating TB” that took place on Dushanbe March 18.

Organized by Tajik Ministry of Health and Project Hope, the conference considered issues related to the TB situation in Tajikistan.

Ms. Zokirova noted that according to findings of a survey, the TB awareness rate increased in the country from 16 percent in 2004 to 50 percent in 2009.  “Due to events held over the past two years, the TB awareness rate in Tajikistan has considerably increased,” she stressed. 

Mr. Saleban Omar, Manager, UNDP HIV/AIDS, TB, and Malaria Control Program in Tajikistan, noted that a number of TB prevention programs implemented in the country have yielded good results.

According to the Republican TB Center, 5,952 new cases of tuberculosis were detected in Tajikistan in 2010.  Last year, the tuberculosis death rate in the country was reportedly 6.3 per 100,000.