CONAN BUSINGE
and BRENDA AHEEBWA
HEALTH experts have warned that the high rate of drug resistance to tuberculosis (TB) is putting a strain on the health system.
Dr. Deus Lokoye, the coordinator of the National Anti-TB Drug Resistance Survey, said more Ugandans were presenting with drug resistance to the recommended drugs.
They include isoniazid, rifampicin, pyrazinamide, ethambutol and streptomycin.
According to Lokoye, the cost of treating one TB patient with multi-drug resistance is equivalent to treating 100 new cases.
Lokoye made the remarks while presenting a paper to commemorate World Health Day at Hotel Africana, Kampala yesterday.
Multi-drug resistant tuberculosis is caused by strains of bacteria that are resistant to isoniazid and rifampicin, the most effective TB drugs.
Out of every 100,000 Ugandans, 136 have tuberculosis and 10% of all previously treated patients have shown resistance to more than one drug, according to Lokoye.
According to the 2011 World Health Organisation progress report, Uganda reported 1,500 cases of multi-drug-resistant TB in 2008. There are about 440,000 cases of multi-drug resistant TB globally.
Citing an ongoing study of 1,025 TB patients at Mulago Hospital, Lokoye said 102 of the 930 new cases are resistant to at least one anti-TB drug, while 14 of them are resistant to more than one drug.
Of the 95 previously treated patients, 26 are resistant to at least one anti-TB drug, while 12 have multi-drug resistance.
Lokoye explained that multi-drug resistance results from misuse of drugs by patients, who abandon treatment when they feel better.
He blamed some health officials for not counselling patients before administering treatment.
Lokoye also attributed the problem to lack of standardised treatment and prolonged drug shortages.
He noted that there was uncoordinated response to implementation of the TB control programme among stakeholders.
Lokoye urged caretakers of TB patients to monitor them and ensure that they complete their doses.
Health state minister Richard Nduhura said the health ministry had sent out technical teams to sensitise communities about proper drug use.
Resistance to TB drugs strains health system
