Combating TB in Msukaligwa
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The hospital has two wards ‘ one for men and one for women ‘as well as an outpatients department.
The hospital dispenses antiretrovirals as most of the patients are co-infected with HIV and TB.
According to enrolled nurse Nomsa Shongwe the mortality rate has declined in the past year and the defaulter rate has also declined.
The hospital has been successful in treating patients with TB despite all the challenges they face on a daily basis, mostly related to human resources with only two nurses on duty for the entire hospital on any given day. This means the two nurses have to cover two wards.
Treatment adherence has increased and all the patients with drug-resistant TB have comleted their treatment and are cured, according to Shongwe.
Shongwe acknowledges that some patients find it hard adhering to their medication because of the side effects.
Gift, a patient , who is currently on TB treatment says that ‘Rifafour (A combination of the first-line regimen Rifampicin, Isoniazid, Pyrazinamide and Ethambutol) is very big in size thus making it hard to swallow and six months of taking treatment is long’.
The number of people testing for TB has increased in this municipality, Shongwe added. – OurHealth/Health-e News Service
Senamile Phungula in an OurHealth Citizen Journalist reporting from the Gert Sibande health district in Mpumalanga.
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