Director for the Programme, Dr. James Mpunga, says movement restrictions halted some of their activities such as door to door screening that contributed to the drop.

He said this on Thursday in Blantyre during the 2021 Tb Networking Meeting.

“COVID-19 has pulled us back for two to three years in as far as impact made for Tb is concerned. We have seen a decline in cases recorded, a reduction of almost 12 percent if you compare to previous years.

“Government put restrictions to avoid COVID-19 spread that almost halted some of our activities. We could not do door to door screening because of the restrictions; neither did our volunteers move,” he said.

Dr. Mpunga, however, says they resorted to mobile diagnostic units to ensure they reach out to people in their communities.

Dr. Marriot Nliwasa from the Kamuzu University of Health Sciences cited research and innovation as a pillar in eliminating Tb.

The meeting aimed at, among other things, strengthening the existing Malawi Tb Research network, building on previous initiatives and new opportunities.