By Mustapha Jarju
The National Tuberculosis Control Programme (NTP) report 2022 has revealed that two thousand five hundred and seventy six (2,576) people were affected with Tuberculosis in 2022 and this indicates an increase from two thousand two hundred and twenty-nine (2,229) in 2021.
The figures were disclosed on Friday during the commemoration of world TB day held at the Serekunda General Hospital.
In his presentation, Sainey Cham, TB Control Officer of the National TB Control Programme reported that in 2022 The Gambia’s TB services are completely free of charge regardless of nationality from diagnosis to treatment and the baseline of TB cases have reduced from 158,000 in 2020 to 149,000 from 100,000 in 2021.”
Cham also said the National TB Control Programme success rate still stands at 87% in 2021, and the TB Control Programme was able to secure funding for the provision of nutrition and financial support to TB patients which is currently ongoing.
“There is also procurement of high-quality anti-TB drugs that are currently in use in the country with expansion of TB expert size to 4 new sites to increase TB detection because if you want to have TB cases you must increase your diagnostic size,” he said.
Cham disclosed that TB treatment centers have been increased from 45 in 2020 to 50 in 2022, and detection of TB settings in public stings and among TB high-risk groups like the prisons where there are plans of building a clinic with the completion of new TB facilities in Yundum, capacity building of over 200 health care workers which is done annually to expand knowledge of health care workers on TB cases.
“National TB Programme also establishes cross-border collaboration with neighboring countries which is another gain set by the program to share ideas on TB,” he added.
He further revealed that they are working on providing supporting cumulative TB care instead of hospitalizing those that are fit to be in the community to be provided care in their various communities, to ensure the availability of TB services and to strengthen TB cross-border activities and expand TB services in all the districts across the country.
