• Submitted by: admin
• Health and Medicine
• 03 / 24 / 2007

According to Dr. Edilberto Gonzalez Ochoa, from the Pedro Kouri Tropical Medicine Institute Tuberculosis Research Group, the Island has the potential to achieve the goal even earlier, between 2010 and 2014.

He explained that Cuba boasts barely 6,5 cases for every 100,000 inhabitants. By worldwide standards, TB is deemed eliminated as a social problem when the index is five or below.

During a scientific workshop on TB held in Las Tunas, 416 miles east from Havana, expert Gonzalez said that in 1959, when the Revolution triumphed, there were 65 cases of tuberculosis for every 100,000 inhabitants.

A Public Health Ministry program implemented since 1962 contributed to decrease the index gradually, AIN reported.

The level of detection of cases is over 90 percent, well over worldwide acceptable 70 percent.

On occasion of the World TB Day on March 24, Cuba boasts advances including more than 1.5 million tests carried out every year in the Island's 600 labs.

Source: Radio Cadena Agramonte