Experts warn tuberculosis may spread in coming years
Ahead of the launch Thursday of the 28th Panhellenic Pulmonary Congress in Athens, experts warn that there could be a spike in cases of tuberculosis in Greece in the coming years due to the inadequacies of tuberculosis control programs and limited access to health services for vulnerable populations, such as refugees and migrants.
Citing National Organization of Public Health data, representatives of the Hellenic Thoracic Society said that 432 cases were reported in 2018, of which 218 concerned non-Greeks.
Overall, there were 4.05 cases per 100,000 people. Experts made it clear that “the problem is not refugees or migrants, but the disease itself,” insisting the state has a duty to protect “this vulnerable and highly dependent population.”
