admin
Harare Bureau/Midlands Bureau
GOVERNMENT is on the verge of introducing a new method of testing tuberculosis using stool specimen for children under five years and people living with HIV.
This comes amid estimates that more than half of tuberculosis cases are not being diagnosed due to the difficulties of using sputum to test for the disease.
Traditionally, a mixture of saliva and mucus coughed from the respiratory tract (sputum) is used to test TB.
This has been difficult to extract especially from young children under five years and ill HIV patients.
Ministry of Health and Child Care deputy director for Aids and Tuberculosis, Dr Charles Sandy, said a pilot programme was currently underway to test the method’s effectiveness.
“TB is difficult to diagnose in children and people living with HIV because diagnostic tests for pulmonary TB are based on sputum.
“Children, especially those under the age of five and people living with HIV, who are seriously ill, usually cannot expectorate sputum on demand,” said Dr Sandy.
“This leads to delays in the diagnosis as the patients need to be referred to a higher level facility.
“In order to improve early diagnosis and treatment initiation in children, a simple test with quick results and access at lower levels of healthcare where children report is essential.
“The use of stool as a specimen offers potential for a quick and accurate diagnostic test that includes drug resistance, simple processing and access to diagnosis at a decentralised level.”
A training programme for selected health practitioners had been conducted to pilot the method in some districts.
“In August 2019 a three-day training for laboratory scientists and clinicians in Harare, Bulawayo, Beitbridge and Chipinge was conducted on collection, handling and processing of stool specimens,” he said.
“The pilot is still running till March of 2020 after which an evaluation will be done to inform a national roll-out.”
The new method was developed by a global expertise centre for TB control in Netherlands.
It has proven effective in Ethiopia and Indonesia.
Meanwhile, Dr Sandy has said artisanal miners are at a higher risk of contracting tuberculosis due to exposure to silica dust and the Government will soon be rolling out programmes to raise awareness as the fight against the disease gathers pace, an official has said.
In an interview, on the sidelines of a media training workshop on tuberculosis in Kadoma, deputy director tuberculosis control in the Ministry of Health and Child Care Dr Charles Sandy said miners, especially artisanal should have proper ventilation to reduce exposure to silica dust.
“Those who are involved in gold mining, are at higher risk of TB due to exposure to silica dust during their mining operations. As the Ministry of Health and Child Care, we would like to see mining activities occurring in very safe environments with adequate ventilation so as to minimise exposure to silica dust,” he said.
Dr Sandy said the ministry would be conducting awareness campaigns in districts with a lot of artisanal mining activities through a recently availed grant.
“We recently received a grant and we will be embarking on awareness campaigns targeting districts that have a high concentration of artisanal mining activities. The major activities under this campaign include ensuring that people know about TB, its symptoms and treatment,” he said.
Dr Sandy said the ministry was procuring more mobile units for TB, HIV and Diabetes screening to guarantee that each province has a mobile unit.
“In fighting against TB, the ministry is in the process of acquiring more mobile units for TB, HIV and Diabetes screening to ensure that at least each province has one mobile unit. Four trucks are being purchased, to add to the existing four. The ministry is, however, seeking ways to use the units to cater for more diseases,” he said.
The ministry, together with implementing partners such as Jointed Hands Welfare Organisation and UN Office for Project Services, have started rolling out an integrated approach to combating TB by 2025 dubbed Stop TB Partnership.
Online Reporter