TUBERCULOSIS: Afghanistan, treatment to start in Kabul

KABUL, 5 May 2010 (IRIN) - Eight private hospitals will soon provide free tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis and treatment in Kabul in an effort to curb the disease which kills thousands of people every year in Afghanistan, according to the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH). About 70 private hospitals operate in Kabul, but none offer TB diagnosis and treatment services, officials say. Under an agreement backed by the UN World Health Organization (WHO), the eight private hospitals will receive laboratory kits and medicines from the MoPH to serve TB patients. Training has also been provided by the National TB Control Programme (NTCP) to ensure accurate diagnosis and treatment.