• Burmese
Saturday, June 14, 2025
No Result
View All Result
NEWSLETTER
The Irrawaddy
26 °c
Yangon
  • Home
  • News
    • Burma
    • Politics
    • World
    • Asia
    • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
    • Ethnic Issues
    • War Against the Junta
    • Junta Cronies
    • Conflicts In Numbers
    • Junta Watch
    • Fact Check
    • Investigation
    • Myanmar-China Watch
    • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Opinion
    • Commentary
    • Guest Column
    • Analysis
    • Editorial
    • Stories That Shaped Us
    • Letters
  • Junta Watch
  • Ethnic Issues
  • War Against the Junta
  • In Person
    • Interview
    • Profile
  • Books
  • Donation
  • Home
  • News
    • Burma
    • Politics
    • World
    • Asia
    • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
    • Ethnic Issues
    • War Against the Junta
    • Junta Cronies
    • Conflicts In Numbers
    • Junta Watch
    • Fact Check
    • Investigation
    • Myanmar-China Watch
    • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Opinion
    • Commentary
    • Guest Column
    • Analysis
    • Editorial
    • Stories That Shaped Us
    • Letters
  • Junta Watch
  • Ethnic Issues
  • War Against the Junta
  • In Person
    • Interview
    • Profile
  • Books
  • Donation
No Result
View All Result
The Irrawaddy
No Result
View All Result
Home News Burma

Burma on Track to Reach Tuberculosis Targets: WHO

Samantha Michaels by Samantha Michaels
October 25, 2013
in Uncategorized
Reading Time: 3 mins read
0 0
A A
4k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

RANGOON — Burma, with one of the highest tuberculosis prevalence rates in the world, is on track to reach global targets in reductions to its incidence, prevalence and mortality rates for the disease by 2015, the World Health Organization (WHO) said Wednesday.

But significant challenges remain, the UN health agency warned, as a large proportion of TB cases in the country go unreported or undiagnosed, while the number of laboratories to test for drug-resistant strains are far below recommendations and medical officials warn that medication supplies are running low.

Burma is one of 22 countries identified by the WHO for having the world’s highest disease burdens for TB, with 489 people infected last year per 100,000 in the population, compared to the global average of 169.

RelatedPosts

Toxic Thailand Rivers Pinned on Myanmar Mines

Toxic Thailand Rivers Pinned on Myanmar Mines

June 11, 2025
626
From Smog to Arsenic: Myanmar’s Toxic Trail Reaches Thailand

From Smog to Arsenic: Myanmar’s Toxic Trail Reaches Thailand

April 25, 2025
1.6k
Life Without Power Spells Daily Misery for Yangon’s Residents

Life Without Power Spells Daily Misery for Yangon’s Residents

January 29, 2025
5k

In its “Global Tuberculosis Report 2013,” the WHO estimated that worldwide, 1.3 million people died last year out of 8.6 million who became infected with TB, an airborne disease that affects the lungs and can easily spread from person to person. “The number of TB deaths is unacceptably large, given that most are preventable,” it said.

Burma was one of four high-burden countries (HBCs) on track to meet the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) targets for TB by 2015. These targets include a falling incidence rate, or the number of people infected annually per 100,000 in the population; as well as a halving of the disease’s prevalence rate, or the proportion of people infected in the population at a given time, compared to 1990 levels; and a halving of the disease’s mortality rate.

Burma, Ethiopia, India and Thailand are on track to meet all three goals, the WHO said. Burma has already met the targets for incidence rate and mortality rate, which stood at nearly 30,000 deaths from TB last year. It is expected to meet the target for prevalence rate by 2015, the WHO said.

Seven HBCs—Brazil, Cambodia, China, the Philippines, Uganda, Vietnam and Tanzania—have already achieved all three goals, while 11 other HBCs are not expected to meet them by the deadline. Globally the goal for falling incidence rates has been met and the targeted reduction in mortality rates is expected to be achieved by 2015, but the targeted reduction in prevalence rates appears out of reach by the deadline, the WHO said.

Despite Burma’s progress, the Southeast Asian nation faces significant challenges and is far below standards for detecting cases of the disease. Globally, about 3 million of all new cases of TB went undiagnosed or unreported in 2012, and Burma was among 12 countries responsible for 75 percent of those “missing” cases. An estimated 35 percent of Burma’s new cases were not detected, about the same percentage as in 2009.

“Finding the ‘missed cases’ is one of the biggest challenges in TB care and control today,” the WHO said in a supplement to its report. It called on Burma and other countries with high disease burdens to increase the number of health facilities with diagnostic capacity, expand service coverage through NGOs, and step up engagement with community workers and volunteers.

Burma has only two laboratories in the entire country that are equipped to test for drug-resistant TB and two laboratories equipped for bacterial culture testing, or about 0.2 laboratories of each type per 5 million people, the WHO said. The UN agency recommends five times that many laboratories for the same population.

The laboratories for drug-resistant TB are in Rangoon and Mandalay, the country’s two biggest cities, and they require a 24-hour supply of electricity that currently would not be possible in underdeveloped rural areas.

The WHO also called on Burma to improve its testing for HIV, as patients with HIV have weakened immune systems and are particularly at risk of contracting TB. Only 13 percent of tuberculosis patients in the country knew their HIV status last year, far below the target rate of 100 percent, it said, although most of those who were diagnosed with both diseases were receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART).

“Concerted efforts are required to increase HIV testing while also ensuring access to ART for HIV-positive TB patients,” it said.

Burma’s health care system was chronically underfunded for decades by the former military regime, and even today, under the quasi-civilian government that took power in 2011, only about 3 percent of the national budget goes to health.

Last month the country received four state-of-the-art machines to detect drug-resistant TB. The machines were donated by a health assistance consortium formed by the governments of Brazil, Chile, France, Norway and Britain.

Also in September, the Ministry of Health reportedly announced that it would expand its TB program to double the number of drug-resistant TB patients under treatment. Ministry officials said they would expand their care and treatment services this year to reach 500 more patients at centers in 38 townships, The Myanmar Times newspaper reported.

The ministry aims to treat some 10,000 cases in 100 townships by 2015.

However, last month medical officials in Rangoon warned that important TB medications were running low across the country and could even run out before the year’s end.

The WHO also cautioned in its report on Wednesday that a funding shortfall would remain a challenge. It said that while Burma’s national tuberculosis control program reported a budget of US$36 million, available funding was only about $14 million.

Your Thoughts …
Tags: Health
Samantha Michaels

Samantha Michaels

Reuters

Similar Picks:

Myanmar’s Youth Flee—and They Aren’t Looking Back
Commentary

Myanmar’s Youth Flee—and They Aren’t Looking Back

by Aung Zaw
February 23, 2024
8.4k

In Thailand and farther afield, they join the wealthy and the educated who have already put down roots and invested...

Read moreDetails
Rare Earth Mining Taking Heavy Toll in Myanmar’s Kachin, Groups Say
Burma

Rare Earth Mining Taking Heavy Toll in Myanmar’s Kachin, Groups Say

by Hein Htoo Zan
May 27, 2024
5.3k

Amid heavy global demand for rare earths, local activists’ concerns about the impacts on the environment and local communities are...

Read moreDetails
Life Without Power Spells Daily Misery for Yangon’s Residents
Burma

Life Without Power Spells Daily Misery for Yangon’s Residents

by Nyein Nyein
January 29, 2025
5k

Lack of electricity affects every aspect of Yangon residents’ daily lives, from work to sleep, and now even hotter weather...

Read moreDetails
‘Everyone Sits Outside’: Parks Offer Heatwave Relief in Myanmar’s Largest City
Burma

‘Everyone Sits Outside’: Parks Offer Heatwave Relief in Myanmar’s Largest City

by AFP
April 29, 2024
4.4k

Amid searing temperatures, and without power for hours a day due to post-coup energy disruptions, Yangon residents are taking refuge...

Read moreDetails
With Motorbikes Banned, Yangon Delivery Riders Struggle in Heatwave
Burma

With Motorbikes Banned, Yangon Delivery Riders Struggle in Heatwave

by AFP
May 2, 2024
3.7k

A previous junta outlawed motorbikes for ‘security reasons’, so delivery workers rely on pedal power—a daunting prospect amid the current...

Read moreDetails
Junta Watch: New Honors to Flatter Foreign Allies; Playing the Blame Game (Again); and More
Junta Watch

Junta Watch: New Honors to Flatter Foreign Allies; Playing the Blame Game (Again); and More

by The Irrawaddy
March 23, 2024
2.7k

Also this week, the regime orchestrated Rohingya protests, lost the builder of its capital, and praised Putin after not-so-free election. 

Read moreDetails
Load More
Next Post

Italy Supports Burma’s Constitutional Reform

Than Shwe ‘Worried’ About Burma’s Politics, Says House Speaker

No Result
View All Result

Recommended

Will Myanmar’s Military Replace Its Embattled Leader?

Will Myanmar’s Military Replace Its Embattled Leader?

1 week ago
2.5k
How the Myanmar Military’s Propaganda Efforts Have Evolved Over the Decades

How the Myanmar Military’s Propaganda Efforts Have Evolved Over the Decades

2 days ago
932

Most Read

  • Civilians in Need as Arakan Army Advances on Kyaukphyu

    Civilians in Need as Arakan Army Advances on Kyaukphyu

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Myanmar Junta Advances into Karenni State

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • China Defends Myanmar Junta on Human Rights at UN

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Myanmar Jade Hub Burns as Junta Counteroffensive Penetrates Hpakant

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Untested Commander Takes Charge as Myanmar Military Faces Toughest Challenge in Decades

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

Newsletter

Get The Irrawaddy’s latest news, analyses and opinion pieces on Myanmar in your inbox.

Subscribe here for daily updates.

Contents

  • News
  • Politics
  • War Against the Junta
  • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
  • Conflicts In Numbers
  • Junta Crony
  • Ethnic Issues
  • Asia
  • World
  • Business
  • Economy
  • Election 2020
  • Elections in History
  • Cartoons
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Commentary
  • Guest Column
  • Analysis
  • Letters
  • In Person
  • Interview
  • Profile
  • Dateline
  • Specials
  • Myanmar Diary
  • Women & Gender
  • Places in History
  • On This Day
  • From the Archive
  • Myanmar & COVID-19
  • Intelligence
  • Myanmar-China Watch
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Food
  • Fashion & Design
  • Videos
  • Photos
  • Photo Essay
  • Donation

About The Irrawaddy

Founded in 1993 by a group of Myanmar journalists living in exile in Thailand, The Irrawaddy is a leading source of reliable news, information, and analysis on Burma/Myanmar and the Southeast Asian region. From its inception, The Irrawaddy has been an independent news media group, unaffiliated with any political party, organization or government. We believe that media must be free and independent and we strive to preserve press freedom.

  • Copyright
  • Code of Ethics
  • Privacy Policy
  • Team
  • About Us
  • Careers
  • Contact
  • Burmese

© 2023 Irrawaddy Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • Burma
    • Politics
    • World
    • Asia
    • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
    • Ethnic Issues
    • War Against the Junta
    • Junta Cronies
    • Conflicts In Numbers
    • Junta Watch
    • Fact Check
    • Investigation
    • Myanmar-China Watch
    • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Opinion
    • Commentary
    • Guest Column
    • Analysis
    • Editorial
    • Stories That Shaped Us
    • Letters
  • Ethnic Issues
  • War Against the Junta
  • In Person
    • Interview
    • Profile
  • Business
    • Economy
    • Business Roundup
  • Books
  • Donation

© 2023 Irrawaddy Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.