The high default rate amongst Tuberculosis patients in Kabarole is affecting the management and treatment of the disease. The default rate is when patients don’t complete the prescribed treatment. Statistics at the TB clinic at Fort Portal Referral Hospital show that 150 patients have failed to complete their treatment despite the availability of drugs.
Their treatment started in April 2011, and was expected to end in March 2012. Only twenty have turned up to resume treatment. The TB clinic treats patients from Kabarole, Kyenjojo, Bundibugyo and Kamwenge. It receives more than 60 patients every month. Dr. Charles Olal, the in-charge of the TB clinic says that some of the patients default for two or even four months.
He says that by defaulting on treatment the patients run risk of defaulting drug resistant TB, which would require the second line of treatment. Olal also says that during the second line of treatment, the patient has to receive injections for two months and also be hospitalized for two months.
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Olal says some of the patients who return say they are turned away from treatment because of stigma. According to Olal, fifteen of the patients who returned for treatment last week said that they fear to be mistaken to be infected with HIV/AIDS.
He says that the hospital is offering counseling to the patients encouraging them to adhere to the treatment and sensitizing them on the dangers of defaulting.
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Francis Bagonza, a resident of Kijura Town Council returned to the TB clinic three days ago after defaulting t for two months. Bagonza says that since he is unemployed, he couldn’t afford transport to the referral hospital and that he didn’t have strength because of the poor health.
Bagonza says that when his conditioned worsened, good Samaritans contributed money for his transport to the hospital. Dr. Dan Musinguizi, Kabarole district TB vocal Person says that they are liaising with the district health department to ensure that the drugs are availed in all health centers in the district to reduce on the burden of patients moving long distances to Fort Portal Referral hospital.
Musinguizi says that the TB drugs are only available at Kibiito Health Centre IV, however patients from other areas in the district, can’t access the drugs and the only alternative is the referral hospital.
The World TB Dayis commemorated each year on 24th March. The theme for 2012 World TB Dayis "Call for a world free of TB”.
