Oman plans to eradicate TB by 2050

Muscat: The Ministry of Health plans to eradicate all instances of tuberculosis (TB) in Oman by 2050, according to a strategy detailed as part of its World TB Day celebrations.
According to the strategy, the Sultanate will provide rapid molecular testing for anyone suspected of having TB, with treatment for all active and latent TB cases provided free of charge for Omani nationals and residents.
Set to be conducted in phases, the strategy includes raising awareness among general public to prevent the spread of the disease. The ministry detailed a number of measures, on its official twitter handle, to prevent the spread of TB, including covering the mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing.
According to data from the World Health Organisation (WHO), Oman is classified as a low incidence country for TB, with an incidence of less than 10 per 100,000 members of the population (5.8/100,000 in 2017) with an average reduction rate of two per cent in the last 10 years.
World TB Day falls on March 24 and marks the day Dr. Robert Koch announced the discovery of the bacterium that causes TB in 1882, opening the way towards diagnosing and curing the disease.
WHO considers TB and HIV/AIDS to be the deadliest of all communicable diseases. Globally, an estimated 10.4 million people fell ill with TB in 2016, with a total of 1.8 million dying as a result of that.