STUDIES conducted at Kibong’oto Infectious Diseases Hospital in Moshi, Kilimanjaro Region have strengthened the capacity of World Health Organisation (WHO) to diagnose tuberculosis (TB) and improve treatment among its patients.
Recently presenting a report to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on HIV/Aids visiting the hospital here, the institution’s Director General (DG), Dr Riziki Kisongo further said that they have compiled about 50 publications for various international journals, where they have contributed to the transformation of the disease diagnosis and treatment guidelines.
“For a patient to be diagnosed with TB in 2009 before, it could take up to 392 days since reporting at the hospital…but with the experts, they have managed to establish guidelines which show a clear vision and reduced time to test TB,” added the medic.
Dr Kisongo noted that with the newly invented TB test including ‘gene expert machines,’ a patient can take only two and half hours to be diagnosed.
Expounding, he pointed out that the publications have helped to transform the disease treatment from the previous injections to drugs oral taking.
“A patient could be subjected to injections for eight months, but after conducting the study, only 47 per cent of the patients showed slight temporary hearing slur as side effects,” said the DG.
On his part, the Director of Preventive Diseases in the Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children, Dr Leonard Subi noted that Tanzania is one of the countries doing well in TB treatment with 145 Centres established to attend to patients.
“The establishment of the Kibong’oto was not only meant to serve as a treatment centre, but also specialised on doing research, whose positive results have helped the country and world in general,” said Dr Subi.
He said the ministry in another development has improved the capacity of the hospital to advance in various communicable diseases’ treatment, research and their monitor.
In response, the Chairperson of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on HIV/Aids, Mr Oscar Mukasa said that they were impressed with the hospital’s initiative in transforming health services delivery to the patients.
In the course, he encouraged them to continue with the spirit and concentrate further in studies which would minimize spread of the disease that is still a threat in the country.
