Medics recommend TB therapy for persons living with HIV

HEALTH | HIV | T.B | PREVENTION

People living with HIV/AIDS but who have not been diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB) will be required to take up treatment for the disease, which is a form of preventive therapy.

This also applies to people who have stayed with confirmed TB patients in various workplaces or home settings.

The recommendation, according to Dr. Stavia Turyahabwe, the assistant commissioner for the National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Programme, is part of the health ministry’s innovations to eliminate tuberculosis by 2030.

According to the World Health Organisation, tuberculosis is caused by bacteria and it most often affects the lungs. The disease is spread through the air when people with lung TB cough, sneeze, or spit. A person needs to inhale only a few germs to become infected.

Common symptoms of active lung TB include cough with sputum and blood at times, chest pains, weakness, weight loss, fever, and night sweats.

Suppressed immunity is one of the opportunistic infections people with HIV/AIDS get. It is against this background that Turyahabwe said the above categories of people deserve preventive therapy.

She explained that TB preventive therapy is treatment given to people who are at a higher risk of developing or contracting the disease.

“Most people tend to have the infection but because they have strong immunity they don’t develop TB and contain it at infection level. However, those living with HIV are more likely to develop the disease at one time because of the changes in their immunity. So, this requires us to put in place interventions to stop that process,” Turyahabwe said.

What it entails 

Preventive therapy, according to medics, entails screening to ensure that one does not have the disease. Thereafter, one is put on TB medicines that have been identified for offering prevention.

Initially, the health ministry started with a single drug, Isoniazid that people would take daily for six months. Whereas this drug is still prescribed, for those who need prevention, Turyahabwe said another ‘friendlier’ drug known as 3HP was introduced. This is taken once a week for three months. Upon completion of the dosage, a review is conducted to rule out any side effects.

“Since this drug has to be taken for a long period, medics only provide regimens for a month and advise people to visit health facilities for a refill every month,” Turyahabwe said.

She made this revelation at the USAID Defeat TB Activity: End of Project Conference held at Mestil Hotel in Kampala yesterday.

Achievements 

USAID’s Defeat TB five-year project that started in 2017 will be ending in September this year.

USAID will now channel funds for the fight against TB, to the Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI), a local partner, to carry the mantle effective October this year. The aim is to implement locally generated solutions to improve TB diagnosis, treatment, and prevention services. This will also assist Uganda's progress on its journey to sustainability.