Morocco records annual 30,000 TB cases

Morocco records annually between 27,000 and 30,000 tuberculosis cases, said Dr. Zoubida Bouayad, head of the lung diseases ward in the Casablanca hospital.

In an interview with Moroccan "Al-Ahdath Al-Maghribya" daily, the doctor said the figure shows that 104 out of 100,000 persons are affected by TB, adding the average age of affected population stands at 33.2 years while it was 23 years in the past, showing a regression of the disease among children and young persons.

She went on a 40 Million DH-worth tuberculosis control program was adopted in 1995 to diagnose 80% of TB cases and treat 90% of affected persons. However, she went on, the disease was not totally overcome because it is closely associated to poverty while awareness campaigns need to target poorest population and appropriate health facilities.