On March 24, 2016, CHS joined the Ministry of Health and other TB control partners in commemorating World Tuberculosis (TB) Day at a colourful and well attended Stakeholders’ breakfast in Nairobi. Political leaders, health professionals, development partners, county government representatives, students and media alike were in attendance to show their commitment and support towards eliminating TB.
This year’s commemoration marked the launch of the national ‘Mulika TB! Maliza TB! Campaign, by flagging off of 10 symbolic torches from Uhuru Park to the 10 high burden TB counties. These torches will be received by the respective county health management teams and used as a platform to heighten the diagnosis and treatment of TB patients in these counties.
Various speakers who took to the stage during the stakeholders’ breakfast shared and celebrated the gains that have been made in the country towards TB control, and also renewed their commitment towards uniting to end TB, a resounding call picked from the global theme.
In his speech, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Health, Dr Nicholas Muraguri, who was also the Chief Guest, recounted that, “Over the last 10 years, a total of 1.2 million Kenyans have been diagnosed with TB and one million TB patients treated successfully, averting an estimated half a million TB deaths.
Moreover, free TB services are accessible to Kenyans across 4,500 health facilities and 1,800 testing sites,” he said.
Kenya remains the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to reach World Health Organisation targets for TB case detection and treatment success.
The Chief Guest, Dr Nicholas Muraguri makes his remarks
WHO representative Dr Custodia Mandlhate, speaks at the breakfast
Dr Benard Muia, Nairobi Committee Executive Committee Member of Health makes his remarks at the forum
GeneXpert Technology
Kenya is also leading the way in adopting and using innovative approaches towards TB control. GeneXpert technology, a more accurate diagnostic tool has been adopted in the country for the rapid diagnosis of TB and its drug resistant variant with a turnaround time of under two hours. This enables TB patients to be diagnosed faster and initiated on the correct treatment.
“In 2015, 80,000 Kenyans were tested for TB using this technology up from 20,000 in 2014,” Dr Muraguri stated.
There are currently 129 GeneXpert machines distributed in health facilities throughout the country, with the relevant personnel trained through the support of the Tuberculosis Accelerated Response and Care (TB ARC) activity, the National Tuberculosis, Leprosy and Lung Disease Program (NTLD-Program) and other partners.
“This [GeneXpert] technology will serve as the first line of TB diagnosis for patients presumed to have TB in Kenya from July 1, 2016,” Dr Muraguri announced.
Staff of the National Public Tuberculosis Reference Laboratory after the event
TB/HIV Co-infection and Isoniazid Preventive Therapy (IPT)
Kenya has already achieved universal access for HIV testing among TB patients and access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) for those with HIV and TB, in line with WHO recommendations on implementation of collaborative TB/HIV activities.
“Since the rollout of Isoniazid Preventive Therapy in March last year, 400,000 patient doses of IPT have been distributed countrywide and 120,000 patients have been initiated on IPT. But there is still room to do more,” reported Dr Joseph Sitienei, Head of Strategic Health Programs at the Ministry of Health.
IPT is one of the key interventions recommended by WHO to reduce the burden of TB among people living with HIV, and in children under five who are in close contact with persons with TB. When taken as prescribed, IPT is highly effective in preventing latent TB infection from progressing to TB disease, and this could serve as the greatest prevention mechanism for people living with HIV.
Mulika TB! Maliza TB! message well disseminated during the procession
Call for further action towards ending TB
About 26.9 billion Kenya shillings is required in order to fully realise the current national TB strategic plan for the period 2015 – 2018.
“To date, slightly over 60% of this budget is available through our partners and the government,” mentioned Dr Sitienei, as he urged more partners to come on board in order to make this plan a reality.
2015 Kochon Prize Winner, Nurse Naomi Wanjiru from CHS-supported Engineer District Hospital in Nyandarua County, was also present at the event and called on health workers to courageously and tirelessly work towards ending TB in the country.
“After contracting TB in the TB clinic, most people advised me that I should stop this work and look for something else to do. But I could not. The lives of my patients depend on me, and if I have to show them my scars so that they can adhere to their treatment, then so be it. We must end TB by all means possible, and we as health care workers are at the forefront of this fight,” said Nurse Wanjiru.
Winner of the 2015 Kochon Prize, Naomi Wanjiru, sharing her story at the event