Kyrgyzstan has joined the TB-Free Central Asia initiative, a regional effort launched by the World Health Organization (WHO) and five Central Asian countries to eliminate tuberculosis and drug-resistant TB by 2030.

The Ministry of Health of Kyrgyzstan announced its participation in the TB-Free Central Asia initiative during a signing ceremony in Astana, alongside the health ministers of Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The countries committed to collaborative action, sharing expertise, and strengthening regional cooperation against tuberculosis.

Kyrgyz Health Minister Erkin Checheibaev underscored the initiative’s strategic importance, saying the country had made notable progress in recent years by adopting rapid diagnostic tools, broadening treatment coverage, and improving surveillance. Still, the continued challenge of drug-resistant tuberculosis and setbacks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic call for renewed momentum.

“This is exactly what the WHO subregional initiative will provide,” said Checheibaev.

The initiative aligns with global TB elimination goals set by the UN and aims to create a framework for evaluating and boosting national efforts. It also seeks to foster innovation and enhance the capacity of TB healthcare services in the region.

WHO estimates that Central Asia records over 35,000 TB cases and about 8,000 drug-resistant cases annually. Four of the five countries in the region rank among the world’s top 30 for drug-resistant TB burden. The pandemic further disrupted TB detection and treatment, worsening outcomes.

Kyrgyzstan reaffirmed its commitment to removing barriers, enhancing prevention, and building resilient systems for diagnosing and treating TB to protect the health of all its citizens.

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