Freetown, 2 November 2017 - The WHO Global Tuberculosis Report 2017 published this week shows that Sierra Leone is one of 30 countries with the highest burden of the disease in the world. The country reported 14,114 TB cases in 2016 but many more cases likely go unreported. WHO estimates that as many as 8,000 people living with TB are unaware of their status and therefore not receiving treatment and support. 

TB treatment is available free of charge in approximately 170 centres across the country. 

Together with the Global Fund and the United States Agency for International Development, NGOs and community partners, WHO is supporting the Government of Sierra Leone to improve diagnosis, surveillance and treatment of TB in all corners of the country, and raising awareness on available services. 

For the first time, in 2017 the country is also using GeneXpert technology to diagnose multi-drug resistant TB with a dedicated facility established to manage Drug Resistant TB cases at the Lakka Government Hospital. This technology was inherited after the Ebola outbreak and is now supporting enhanced TB diagnostics and control.

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