BY SIBUSISEKILE NDLANGAMANDLA
MANZINI– Eswatini is expanding the use of technology and alternative diagnostic approaches to strengthen tuberculosis detection and treatment as the country works towards ending TB by 2035.
National TB-HIV Services Coordinator Similo Simelane said the National TB Control Programme has introduced different approaches to identify tuberculosis cases among people who may not present with the typical signs and symptoms of the disease.
He said computer-aided detection (CAD) is being used alongside chest X-rays to assist healthcare workers in identifying possible TB cases, particularly among people living with HIV whose weakened immunity may affect how the disease presents.
Simelane said CAD screening has been implemented at health facilities across the four regions as part of efforts to strengthen diagnosis and ensure that patients can be identified and placed on treatment earlier.
The programme is also taking screening beyond health facilities through the use of mobile TB screening trucks. Simelane said new trucks have been procured as part of the National Strategic Plan for Tuberculosis 2024–2028, supporting efforts to bring screening services closer to communities. The approach is complemented by alternative testing methods designed for groups who may face challenges with conventional TB diagnosis.
Simelane said TB LAM is being used to test for tuberculosis through urine, particularly among people living with HIV. He explained that this is important because patients with compromised immunity may have TB without showing the symptoms commonly associated with the disease.
The programme has also introduced a different approach for children who may struggle to produce sputum samples. “Children we find that they may not be able to cough and then approach the sputum or put it in the specimen container,” Simelane said.
He said morning stool samples are therefore used to assist in identifying TB in children, allowing those who test positive to receive treatment earlier and reducing the risk of complications.
Technology is also being applied to strengthen treatment. Simelane said the programme has adopted shorter treatment regimens for drug-resistant TB, reducing the length of treatment for eligible patients to approximately six to nine months.
Beyond diagnosis and treatment, the programme is providing additional support to some patients during their treatment period. Simelane said eligible patients receive meals as part of efforts to promote adherence to treatment and improve treatment outcomes.
He said support for drug-resistant TB patients is provided to all clients enrolled in the programme, while patients with other forms of TB are assessed against set criteria before receiving the support package.
He also said a mid-term review of the National Strategic Plan for Tuberculosis has been conducted, with recommendations expected to guide the next phase of implementation. He said strengthening these interventions will be important as Eswatini works towards achieving the objectives of its 2024–2028 strategy and ultimately ending TB by 2035.
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