County MTRH Collaborating in Treatment of Drug Resistant TB

Tuberculosis Disease treatment comes with high costs to clients and more effort should be directed to early diagnosis cases especially through enhancement of primary networks at the community level.

Speaking during the discharge of Extensively drug-resistant (XDR TB) client at Moi Teaching and Refferal Hospital, Promotive and Preventive Health Chief Officer Dr Paul Wangwe noted that the County notified 14 cases last year which is 0.7 percent of drug sensitive TB.

“The two surveillance methods returned 14 cases of drug resistant TB who were notified and treated in 2023 and in partnership with KEMRI CDC we now have an electronic remote system to track all samples for culture from dispatch(MTRH TB lab and Huruma facility) to printing of results,”said Dr Wangwe.

Dr Wangwe also noted the need to elevate the MTRH TB lab to a full culture status to serve the region, since it is the regional centre of excellence for management of resistant TB with an isolation ward.

Last year the Country notified 706 cases of all forms of drug resistant TB.

Present were MTRH Ag.Chief Executive Officer Dr Philiph Kirwa, Ampath Uzima Chief of Party Dr Sylvester Kimaiyo, Director for Health Services Dr Evans Kiprotich and County TB coordinator Charles Makwila.