Stakeholders highlighted the need for improved TB funding for early screening, treatment, and detection. 

This call was made during the Tuberculosis and Leprosy National Steering Committee meeting held in Windhoek.

Despite Namibia making notable progress in TB treatment, the disease still remains a concern in most parts of the country.

That considered, health authorities are calling for more funding and resource mobilisation.

Correctional facilities were also part of the discussions, as cases remain a concern at the facilities because of the setup that lacks ventilation and is known for overcrowding.

Evangeline Paulus, the Coordinator for the National TB and Leprosy Programme, explained that "Although we have partial funding from donor funders, I think this is the platform, and we are planning to do this almost every year if we are to have a follow-up meeting."

Trefina Itengula, Senior Superintendent at the Namibia Correctional Services, also spoke at the event and stated, "Allocate sufficient funding for future TB screening activities, as we believe it is very important to consider the environment in our planning and possibly conduct screenings even at the end of the process. Additionally, it is important to strengthen satisfaction, management, and resource innovation."

Namibia, though, reports progress in TB screening and treatment, said Dr. Nunurai Ruswa, Acting Chief Medical Officer of the National TB & Leprosy Programme. 

Dr. Ruswa added that "The tests that I've mentioned here are already up to the state of the art. We are doing well. No matter where you are in the world, this is actually one of the best types of algorithms to follow. So one of the things that we have added here is for every case where we pick that there is a rifampicin or isoniazid resistance – so these are some of the drugs that we use for TB – for every case where we pick that there is any resistance, we have said we also want to characterise these germs further by doing what is called sequencing. Sequencing is basically looking at the DNA, and we are collaborating with the University of Namibia." 

Namibia is not considered a highly burdened country in terms of leprosy cases. However, a few active cases remain in the northern regions.