WHO Country Office in Tajikistan celebrated World Tuberculosis (TB) Day: “Together we can combat this disease and say NO”

In celebration of World Tuberculosis (TB) Day 2011 “On the move against tuberculosis”, the WHO Country Office, with the Ministry of Health, the Republican Tuberculosis Center, the United Nations Development Programme and the Global Fund Programme organized a series of events devoted to a tuberculosis (TB) awareness campaign for 2011.

On 14–18 March 2011, a football match was organized for teams composed of children from different schools from the city of Dushanbe, along with medical specialists from the Ministry of Health, and staff from international organizations. The teams were awarded prizes from the WHO Country Office.

The WHO Country Office also broadcast a special radio marathon held on 24 March 2011.  For an entire day, this programme was led by radio specialists along with the WHO communications assistant and was broadcast on one of the nation-wide radio channels in Dushanbe and in the Khatlon oblast.

This special radio programme included general information about World TB Day 2011 at both the global and local levels as well as an interview with Ms Sayohat Hasanova who is the Country Coordinator on the projects implemented by the WHO Country Office in Tajikistan in the area of TB treatment, diagnostics and prevention.

A radio quiz allowed the public audience a chance to participate on TB issues and quiz winners were awarded prizes. 

Activities for World TB Day 2011 also included a news article in the Newspaper “Digest Press” as well as a television interview with Dr Pavel Ursu, WHO Representative/Head of WHO Country office in Tajikistan.

“The TB problem is not just a  health sector problem, but rather a problem for society in general! We are all responsible for healthy living and for our future. Only with joint, effective and coordinated efforts can we combat this disease and say NO to it! “