By: Ilyasa Baa
As Sierra Leone is among the thirty countries most impacted by Tuberculosis (Tb) in the world, the National Tb Control Programme has ended a town hall meeting in Makeni on the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic on Tb, attracting key stakeholders and health practitioners.
According to the Focal Person at the National Tb Control Programme, Manzo Lamin, patients in the Bombali district have not been meeting the target in terms of treatment pointing out that some patients are in the habit of appearing late for treatment even though treatments are offered free of cost, and affirms that the rate of case identification is improving due to their intervention in the district.
He pointed out that because of similarities in the signs and symptoms of both Covid-19 and Tb, patients become afraid of going to the hospitals for their treatments. He stressed that though the signs and symptoms look alike, the strategies applied to treat them are different, adding that Tb can be treated with effective medications since it kills more than Covid-19. He said they have been working closely with the key stakeholders to improve the Tb situation in the district adding that the cooperation of the various communities, and traditional leaders have been solicited to put hands on deck to better the life-threatening situation in the district.
“We are targeting other districts in our sensitization drive against this virus,” Lamin said.
Participants of the workshop, including Nurse Adama of the Makeni Government Hospital, expressed their satisfaction with the training and the facts they presented about the disease. She said these facts messages could help improve the current Tb situation the people are facing in the district. She called on community people not to isolate those suffering from the disease noting that they should be encouraged to report to the hospital for early and continuous treatments. She said there is a need for the National Tb Control Programme to continue with its sensitization drive for the benefit of the layman.
In Sierra Leone, it is estimated that out of 100,000 populations, it is likely 298 people have contacted Tb, with 14,114 cases reported as of 2016.
There are over 160 centres created to offer treatment for Tb in the country. As of 2018, 13,396 people successfully underwent preventive therapy for the disease. It could be recalled that in 2015, the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) established an in-country centre that partnered with the Ministry of Health and Sanitation and through this partnership, treatment and diagnostic services for HIV and Tb have improved consequently.
Based on research carried out by this reporter, some of the signs and symptoms of Tb include persistent coughing (if continues for two weeks or more go for a laboratory test), malnourishment in children, and too much sweating, especially at night. The disease is airborne and highly contagious.
