Yemen Launches TB Training Program
The Office of Health and Population in Yemen's Dhamar province has launched a program to train primary health workers on tuberculosis prevention and treatment, the Yemen News Agency reports.
The program, supported by Yemen's National TB Control Program, will provide training for more than 180 health workers over three days. The health workers will learn about TB diagnosis, treatment, transmission and symptoms. Abdul-Salam al-Akhsab, director of the health and population office, said the agency will implement the program in four phases in all districts of the province.
According to the Yemen News Agency, intensive training programs and awareness campaigns have contributed to a declining TB prevalence in Yemen. World Health Organization data indicate that the country's TB incidence has declined from 236 cases per 100,000 people in 1990 to 82 cases per 100,000 people in 2005. In addition, TB-associated mortality decreased during the same period, from 16 deaths per 100,000 people to 10 deaths per 100,000 people. Yemen also has a TB treatment success rate of 86%, the Yemen News Agency reports (Yemen News Agency, 4/13).