Association donates anti-tuberculosis drugs

The health ministry in the Central African Republic (CAR) received a donation of 30 kg of anti-tuberculosis (TB) drugs on Tuesday from the Lions Club Bangui Songo. "The director of epidemics presented a request for anti-tuberculosis drugs, which we transmitted to Lions Clubs France, and then we obtained 30 kilos of drugs from the IDA [International Dispensary Association] Amsterdam," Yvon Kamach, chairman of Lions Club Bangui Songo, told IRIN on Thursday. He said the association was ready to provide money to assist victims of the ongoing crisis in CAR. "It is up to the humanitarian NGOs to make their well-detailed requests that will be examined before being granted," he added. TB remains the second-highest cause of death in the CAR. "Tuberculosis is progressing in CAR, especially because of HIV/AIDS, and kills almost as many people as malaria," Fidele Tchenebou, the deputy coordinator of the national anti-TB programme said on Thursday. He said 20 percent of patients complaining of coughs were subsequently being diagnosed as suffering from TB. A 1997 study carried out jointly by the Institute Pasteur Bangui and Hopital Communautaire of Bangui - and which remains valid today - had revealed that 50 percent of HIV-positive patients in the hospital were suffering from TB, he said. Created in 1994, the anti-TB is being supported by the Fond d'Aide et de Cooperation, the World Health Organisation, Lions Club International, Global Drug Facility and the European Development Fund (EDF). The EDF had agreed to supply anti-TB drugs for three years starting from 2003, Tchenebou said. Set up by an American businessman, Melvin Jones, in 1917 in Chicago, Lions Club International opened its CAR branch in 1965. It comprises 30 members, mostly businessmen, administrative officials and other high-ranking executives.