Government of Zimbabwe not helping in fight on TB

Written by Regina Bhebhe Wednesday, 30 September 2009 12:15

In Zimbabwe it is very difficult to meet the demands required of us in fighting TB because of a weak health system, itself recently taken off ICU.

Limited funds and insufficient political commitment and legislation and regulation of TB Control make our particular situation in the field of TB even more difficult.  

What we really need to move our case forward is the right legislation to support a comprehensive TB Control Strategy.

Legislation and regulation do not stand alone, but need to be seen as essential supports to a comprehensive strategy of TB prevention and control.

As a country Zimbabwe has a serious challenge in that there is a need to plan and implement the DOTS programmes in settings with high rates of HIV or MDR-TB.

We require skills and resources for interagency collaboration, programme management, supervision, monitoring and evaluation.

There is a need to revisit the essential elements of an expanded DOTS strategy that is: case finding with priority to detect infectious patients by sputum smear microscopy of TB suspects, case finding in high risk groups e.g. household and work contacts of an index, occupational groups at risk, rigorous contact tracing.)

Diagnostic methods other than smear microscopy and chest X-rays (e.g. routine culture for mycobacterium tuberculosis of which it’s now a scarce commodity in Zimbabwe). Standardised short course treatment emphasis on ensuring direct observation of and access to treatment, preventive therapy for all affected and infected contacts of the index cases