Laos and Global Fund aim to drive down TB
GENEVA – The Lao People’s Democratic Republic and the Global Fund have strengthened their partnership with the signing of a new grant to intensify efforts against tuberculosis.
With a total budgeted amount of over US$7.2 million, the two year grant signed today (June 12) will be administered by the Department of Disease Control of the Ministry of Health.
The agreed grant aims to support Lao PDR efforts to decrease TB incidence from 204 per 100,000 people to 177 per 100,000 and increase access to services, particularly amongst rural and remote populations.
The new grant will help Laos PDR to address the higher incidence recently identified, by enabling investment in new technology such as Genexpert and expand case detection in the fight against TB.
Prof. Eksavang Vongvichit, Minister of Health for Lao PDR said:
“The tuberculosis burden in Lao PDR is still high. Missed opportunities for diagnosis and treatment of TB, particularly children and the elderly due to the limited capacity for diagnosis and care of TB in the peripheral health system and the border areas are the major problems. Therefore, I believe that the new Global Fund support on the TB program will contribute to overcoming these challenges and help Lao PDR to attain the post-2015 development framework.”
Dr. Mark Dybul, Executive Director of the Global Fund, said:
“Despite the challenges, Laos has made real progress by reaching the TB Millennium Development Goal and achieving a treatment success rate of 90 per cent. With strong partnership we can continue to drive the TB incidence rate down, especially in rural areas.”
Source: The Global Fund
