Tuberculosis
Photo © Basil Rolandsen (bouvetmedia.com)Tuberculosis (TB) is the most important disease facing East Timor. The specter of epidemic TB fuelled by ever increasing numbers of HIV cases, and the added burden of multi-drug resistance is by itself enough to crush the economy of this fragile new state.
Bairo Pite Clinic diagnose three new cases every day, starting 1000 people on TB treatment every year. The patients are registered in our TB programme, and receive treatment, education and follow-up care. We have in place a team able to assure completion of full treatment in most cases, and are actively engaged in finding new cases wherever they may be.
Our TB ward has its own laboratory section for diagnostics. It has 11 beds reserved for TB patients too sick for out-patient treatment, or living in distant areas without supervision during the intensive treatment phase. In co-operation with the Ministry for Health, one bed (or more if required) is used to treat multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). In addition, clinic staff oversee patients at Ismaik’s Tibar site, which has beds for TB treatment.
Photo © Basil Rolandsen (bouvetmedia.com)The clinic’s TB programme has since the start been an active part of the National TB Control Programme, and was a part of the Catholic clinic network, which targetted TB before that. Our treatment follow internationally accepted standards from WHO and the IUATLD (TB Union), observing DOTS (observed intake of drugs) and national guidlines for diagnosis and medication.
We acknowledge the serious threat TB still represents to East Timor, and realise this will not change substantially until social conditions and access to health care improves for its people. While the definitive answer to this devastating plague is political and socio-economic, much can and must be done to address the existing problem before it overwhelms all capacity for effective control. We fear further spread of the disease, including through HIV, and for more resistant strains (MDR-TB) to take root here. The battle against TB is not over. Bairo Pite Clinic fight on the front line. ‘A luta continua.’