EU provides aid to strengthen the management of tuberculosis in Libya
Libyan Cloud News Agency
The World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) have received more than € 3.3 million from the European Union (EU) to support an 18-month project to strengthen the management of tuberculosis (TB) in Libya.
“The incidence of TB in Libya is on the rise. The country’s health system has been severely disrupted during the decade-long conflict, and its National Tuberculosis Program has acute shortages of trained staff, specialized equipment and medical supplies”. The WHO said in a statement.
The WHO indicated that Libya is vulnerable to the risk of infectious diseases such as TB, confirming that the country is hosting more than 570,000 migrants. According to a recent IOM study, 39% of the migrants were living in unsanitary and severely overcrowded conditions and had limited access to health care, creating conditions ripe for the spread of the disease. Other migrants are being held in similarly overcrowded detention centres.
Elizabeth Hoff, Head of Mission and WHO Representative in Libya, said that the EU’s contribution will help enhance TB services throughout Libya. She added that the project will allow WHO to support national efforts to combat TB by training health staff and strengthening TB surveillance and laboratory services.
