UNDP: Nearly 180,000 people tested for TB in Afghanistan

Afghan Voice Agency (AVA) - Kabul: The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Afghanistan announced on Sunday that from April to June 2026, 179,845 people across Afghanistan were tested for TB through the World Fund for Tuberculosis project.

 

The agency added that the process has provided access to services for active case identification, diagnosis and comprehensive treatment of TB. The service is part of efforts to identify cases early and prevent the spread of the disease in Afghanistan, according to UNDP.

 

Tuberculosis is an infectious disease that affects most of the lungs and is transmitted through the air from an infected person to others. Early diagnosis and early treatment are important factors in controlling the disease.

 

The World Fund is an international funder of programs to fight diseases such as tuberculosis, AIDS and malaria, and part of Afghanistan's health programs are also supported through this route.

 

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Afghanistan is one of the 30 countries with the highest burden of TB. It is estimated that about 13,000 people die from the disease every year in the country and the number of people infected reaches about 70,000 a year.

 

It is worth mentioning that TB is highly prevalent in Afghanistan, especially among women and children, and factors such as poverty, malnutrition, lack of awareness and limited access to health services in remote areas have challenged the fight against the disease. The World Fund Project in Afghanistan, in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Health and international organizations, is implementing diagnosis, treatment and awareness programs in various provinces.