Gov't receives sh535m TB diagnosis machines

Government has received 9 tuberculosis diagnosis machines, GeneXpert machines all at cost of $153,000 estimated at about sh535m.

The machines were donated by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through the TB track project. The machines will be taken to the selected to districts countrywide that are part of the 28 that have been lacking them.

The State Minister for General Duties in the Ministry of Health, Sarah Opendi, said it was scientifically established that GeneXpert machines are critical as far as Tuberculosis diagnosis is concerned. She was optimistic that the machines will ease people's access to tuberculosis diagnosis.

During the handover ceremony that took place at health ministry headquarters in Kampala on Friday, Opendi said at first the health sector lacked political support, however, Parliament came on board to offer support. She lauded the US Government for its support to Uganda in transforming and standardizing the health sector.

The US Ambassador to Uganda Deborah Malac said the machines have advanced technology that enables health officials form an accurate diagnosis of TB within 2 hours hence advancing patients' care, treatment and saving lives. She noted that the recent surveillance survey showed that there are estimated 50,000 undiagnosed TB cases in Uganda each year.

"Rapid diagnosis of TB will benefit the tens of thousands of Ugandans   who safe from the disease but it will especially be important for the people living with HIV and children" she said.

Malac said the US Government is committed to improving the health and well-being of all Ugandans, who deserve to live in a future free from the debilitating effects of the TB.

She said that with in past four years, the US Government has donated 20 GeneXpert machines to Uganda.

"This is part of the broader program aimed at reduction of drug-resistant TB, and TB-HIV co-infection in Uganda, "she stated.

According to Prof. Moses Joloba, who heads National TB Reference Laboratory, GeneXpert machines detect deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and spot the tuberculosis germs faster than the microscope. He says it multiplies germs so that they are easily detected unlike the microscope that only magnifies them before detecting them.

Joloba said there are 103 GeneXpert machines countrywide with Kampala having 22. He also said all the 14 regional referral hospitals countrywide have the machines.

"There are 28 districts that don't have the machines and our aim is having them as far as at health Centre IV level" he stated.

"We still have a huge gap and the Government is working hard to ensure that all the districts are covered" Joloba added.

Population blamed

Joloba however blamed Ugandans for not turning up for TB diagnosis saying much as the machines have been availed in most districts countrywide, the number of people turning up for diagnosis still remains low.

"If you have chest pain and cough for more than two weeks, visit a hospital and be diagnosed for tuberculosis" he appealed.

The 2010 World Health Organisation (WHO) report indicated that Uganda ranked the 16^th out of the top 22 top TB high prevalence countries globally.