Minister Kawooya calls for focus on TB and Leprosy prevention

28 November 2024, 3:22 pm

By Byamukama Alozious

Minister of Health for State General Duties, Hanifa Kawooya Bangirana, emphasised the need to focus on prevention and digitalisation of patient data at the 7th annual tuberculosis and leprosy conference. The conference brought together stakeholders to reflect on the response to tuberculosis and leprosy in Uganda.

Minister Bangirana noted that while the government spends a significant amount of money on building hospitals and health centers, focusing on prevention could reduce the amount spent on buying drugs. “We need to tell people that tuberculosis is preventable,” she said.

Uganda is among the 30 countries with the highest burden of TB thus the Minister stressing the importance of involving communities in the fight against tuberculosis and leprosy. “We should involve communicators, not just health officials,” she said.

On digitalisation, Minister Bangirana emphasised that it’s not just about keeping patient data, but also about how it’s disseminated while considering patient safety. The government is now focusing on empowering primary health care services to address the issues.

Minister Bangirana highlighted the importance of accountability and good leadership in ensuring that resources are utilised effectively. “We must account for the resources, not just government money, but also donor money,” she said.

The Minister was speaking at the conference, which aims to advance multisectoral and multistakeholder engagement and accountability to end tuberculosis and achieve zero leprosy in Uganda by 2030.

Dr. Lubanga Augustine, National Medical Director of AHF Uganda Cares, highlighted the need for a collaborative effort to combat tuberculosis (TB) in Uganda. According to Dr. Lubanga, Uganda has made progress in the fight against TB, but the disease still poses a significant challenge.

In 2023, 96,000 new TB cases were reported, with 84,000 of those cases detected and started on treatment. The treatment coverage stands at 90%, while 37% of TB patients also have HIV. 97% of co-infected patients have started antiretroviral therapy (ART).

To address the issue, Dr. Lubanga emphasised the importance of involving stakeholders beyond the health sector. “We need to get the Minister of Education on board to ensure that students who are coughing are evaluated for TB,” he said.

Additionally, Dr. Lubanga highlighted the need to address predisposing factors such as poor housing.

Dr. Henry Luzze, the acting head of TB program, noted that men have a higher presence of TB. “Men spend more time in social networks, go out a lot, like football, maybe that’s contributing,” he said. “We want households with coughs to go for screening, and tobacco smokers and HIV all contribute.”

Dr. Luzze also reported that 92% of TB patients are treated, while 7% die.

Uganda has made significant progress in tuberculosis (TB) prevention and contact tracing. Over 450,000 contacts were traced, with 89% of those contacts screened for TB. Of those screened, 20% were presumed to have TB, and 10% of those presumed cases were diagnosed with TB.

In terms of TB prevention among people living with HIV (PLHIV), 109,947 eligible PLHIV were identified, with 84% starting TB preventive therapy (TPT). Among contacts aged 5 years and below, 75.3% started on TPT, while 80.4% of contacts aged 5 years and above were enrolled on TPT.

Uganda’s TB burden remains significant, with an estimated 96,000 new TB cases reported in 2023. The country has a population of 49 million, with 14% of those affected by TB being children. The statistics also show that males aged 15 years and above accounted for 52% of TB cases, while females accounted for 34%.

Leprosy data shows a decline in the number of leprosy patients notified from 489 in 2022/23 to 307 in 2023/24. Child notifications (15%) are still high, showing ongoing transmission. Grade II disability reduced from 19.5% to 10.5% but is still high.