BY DELISA THWALA
MBABANE– The National TB Programme has announced a new project that seeks to eradicate Tuberculosis and COVID-19.
Through the Find Test Treat programme (FTTC) six Tinkhundla in the country will have the project implemented.
These are Kwaluseni, Lobamba, Manzini North, Manzini South, Nhlambeni and Phondo. In each Tinkhundla, the following facilities are targeted: RFM Hospital, Mankayane Hospital, TB Center, Phocweni Clinic, AHF LaMvelas and Matsapha.
When explaining the importance of the project National TB Acting Programmes Manager Lindiwe Dlamini said FTTC is delivered in partnership with Georgetown University, the Center for Global Health Practice and Impact (GU CGHPI) the National TB Control Program (NTCP) and the National Health Laboratory Service.
Dlamini said through funding from Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND). The project started in January 2023 and is expected to end in September 2023. The project aims to simultaneously strengthen integrated case finding, testing and treatment for TB and COVID-19.
“Due to the region having the largest population, the highest number of TB cases 50 per cent of the national burden, and the most TB diagnostic and treatment sites, the project is implemented in the Manzini region.
“Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic up to January 2023, Manzini experienced the highest number of COVID cases (26 001) and deaths (568) and has had the largest drop in TB case finding,” said Dlamini.
In addition, she said providing TB and COVID-19 screening and testing services in the communities will assist with early detection of TB cases and as a result, early treatment thus a positive treatment outcome.
According to Dlamini, the project will be implemented in 6 health facilities in Manzini, which have the highest TB cases in the region.
Findings generated from these health facilities on the integrated screening and testing services for TB and COVID will assist to develop new guidelines and SOPs for screening and testing of TB and COVID for all health facilities in Eswatini.
“FTTC awareness campaigns on TB and COVID will increase awareness of this disease that will yield results for the TB program long after the project has ended.
“The partnership between Georgetown University and NTCP has been great, facilitated through funding from CDC and other sources. The program is looking forward to the impact of the FTTC project and welcomes FIND onboard the Eswatini TB-COVID-19 fight journey,” she said.
Worth noting is that pre-COVID-19, Eswatini and the world at large were making good progress in eliminating TB. Dating back from 2019 TB deaths were dropping.
Dlamini said however when COVID-19 hit hard resources and energies shifted direction towards the new threat at the expense of other health services culminating in declining diagnosis and treatment of TB.
She said for the first time in over a decade, tuberculosis deaths have increased in Eswatini.
COVID-19 was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization due to the many lives lost due to the virus. Eswatini experienced 1 423 deaths due to COVID-19.
