Ethiopia: St Peter’s TB Specialized Hospital and IOM organized a 3km Anti TB (tuberculoses) walk to celebrate World TB day in Addis Ababa on the 22nd March 2013. The walk, which intended to increase public awareness about TB, called for active community engagement in the fight against the disease in Ethiopia. 

The 3km walk started from the Sidist Kilo Addis Ababa University main gate and reached St. Peters TB Specialized Hospital engaging hundreds of participants. Among the participants of the mass walk, school children, members of community associations, women groups, members of the police force, IOM and St. Peter’s TB Specialized Hospital staff members were found.

In her opening remarks, the International Migration Health Physician for IOM inEthiopia, Dr. R. V. Rama Jayavanth, stressed the importance of joining the global efforts to find, treat and cure the people suffering from tuberculosis. “Every year, nine million people get sick with TB, but three million are missed by health systems around the world. Many of these three million people live in the world's poorest, most vulnerable communities and include groups such as migrants, refugees, drug users and others. On this day, IOM joins the international community in calling for a renewed focus on reaching these missing three million,” she said.

The St. Peter’s TB Specialized Hospital appreciated IOM’s support in organizing the event and stressed that the working relation with IOM will be strengthened in the future as well.

Dr. R. V. Rama Jayavanth on her part added that IOM, through the TB REACH project, has invested in setting up new diagnostic technologies and assisted to design National TB Control Program of the Ethiopian Federal Ministry of Health in order to increase detection of TB, multi-drug resistant TB and detection of TB among HIV co-infected migrants, refugees and the host population using an innovative rapid testing technology.

At the end of the walk, the Addis Ababa Children and Youth Theater group presented a musical drama on TB prevention. The participants of the walk were awarded with certificate of participation. The event was concluded with Addis Ababa Police marching band playing the Ethiopian National anthem.

It is to be recalled that St. Peter’s TB Specialized Hospital celebrated its 50th Anniversary last year.