Drug resistant TB on the rise in Lango

Lira, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Medical personnel in Lango are concerned about the increasing cases of drug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB).

MDR-TB is a strain of TB that can only be treated with a combination of four different drugs because they are resistant to the two most powerful first-line medicines.

According to records, over 1,000 new MDR-TB cases were reported in 2021 compared to 13 out of the 105 TB patients between January to mid-March 2017.

Ben Okao Abor, the TB regional coordinator for Lango explains that infection is high among the community members who do not seek medical care.

Okao added that sometimes the health caregivers are to blame for the increase in MDR-TB because either the medication is not delivered on time or the medicines are out of stock.

George Kabaale, the TB program officer at JCRC/ RHITES-North explains that TB was declared a Public Health Emergency in the Lango sub-region because Lira Regional Referral Hospital is running the second biggest drug-resistant TB unit in the country, second to the National Referral.

Lira city has organized a TB marathon ahead of the National celebration scheduled for March 24 at Lira Mayors Garden to sensitize the public about adherence to TB treatment.

Bernard Otucu, the Lira City Principle Health Officer says that they will also embark on door-to-door mass sensitization and testing for TB.

In 2019, an estimated 88,000 people fell ill with TB in Uganda, and an estimated 15,600 people died whereas an estimated 1,500 drug-resistant TB (DR-TB) cases were recorded but only 559 were diagnosed and notified to the National TB and Leprosy Program.

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