Medical
personnel in Lango are concerned about the increasing case of drug-resistant
tuberculosis (MDR-TB).
MDR-TB is a strain of TB that can only be treated with a combination of four
different drugs because they are resistant to the two most powerful first-line
medicines.
According to
records, over 1,000 new MDR-TB cases were reported in 2021 compared to 13 out
of the 105 TB patients between January to Mid-March 2017.
Ben Okao
Abor, the TB Regional Coordinator for Lango explains that infection is high
among the community members who do not seek medical care.
//Cue in:
“Our people were…
Cue out: ...
have MDR-TB already.”//
Okao added
that sometimes the health caregivers are to blame for the increase in MDR-TB
because either the medication is not delivered on time or the medicines are out
of stock.
//Cue in: “This MDR- TB
… Cue out: ...
in the health centers.”//
George
Kabaale, the TB program officer at JCRC/ RHITES-North explains that TB was
declared a Public Health Emergency in the Lango sub-region because Lira Regional
Referral Hospital is running the second biggest drug-resistant TB unit in the
country, second to the National Referral.
//Cue in: “We are currently running…
Cue out: … a
very good thing.”//
Lira City
has organized a TB marathon ahead of the National celebration scheduled for March
24 at Lira Mayors Garden to sensitize the public about adherence to TB
treatment.
Bernard Otucu, the Lira City Principle Health Officer says that they will also embark
on door-to-door mass sensitization and testing for TB.
//Cue in: “30 people die…
Cue out: ... and leprosy services.”//
In 2019, an estimated 88,000 people fell ill with TB in Uganda, and an
estimated 15,600 people died whereas an estimated 1,500 drug-resistant TB
(DR-TB) cases were recorded but only 559 were diagnosed and notified to the National
TB and Leprosy Program.
