Malawi: Drug Theft Poses Threat to Battle Against TB

Malawi joined other countries Wednesday in commemorating World TB Day - this to draw attention to a disease that claimed two million lives last year, according to the World Health Organisation. However, the efforts of Malawian officials to curb tuberculosis are being dogged by the theft of TB drugs from state hospitals. Felix Salaniponi, Programme Manager for the country's National TB Control Programme, says the stolen drugs are often used to treat ailments other than TB: “These include non-specific coughs, bloody diarrhoea, sexually transmitted infections and some HIV/AIDS-related conditions.”