Kenya still lacks the capacity to test Multy-Drug Resistant Tuberculosis. MDR TB

According to Dr. Joseph Sitienei, the head of the Leprosy and TB Control Programme in the Ministry of Health, it is very difficult to detect TB in patients with HIV/AIDS.

This is because Kenya still uses microscophy test or the “smear test” which cannot give clear results with people living with HIV virus.

There are also few facilities of isolation of the chronic forms of TB.

“Infact there is only one isolation room in the country at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret” Sitienei said.

The government is currently developing 15 isolation facilities at the Kenyatta National Hospital to help curb the deficiency and handle the increasing cases of TB in the country.

MDR TB is becoming common in most parts of the world where the number of detected cases was estimated to be 511000 in 2007 in which 349000 0f this were HIV positive. China, India and Russian Federation accounted for 57%.

TB is curable if detected early however there is need to strictly follow the prescribed medication failure to which it might reach chronic levels of Multy, Drug Resistant or Extremely Drug Resistant TB (XTD TB) which is difficult to treat.

People living with HIV due to their weakened immune systems are more prone to infections and TB is considered the most deadly among the opportunistic diseases.

Dr. Sitienei also added that it is very expensive to treat one patient of MDR TB or XTR TB were it requires 1.2 million and 2.3 million respectively to treat the two forms of TB.

Drug resistance is majorly caused by inappropriate guidelines, poor management of reported cases and non-compliance to prescriptions.

There are also counterfeit drugs which are not standard and may cause resistance.  This is contributed by the liberalized market of Kenya where everybody can import drugs.

According to Dr. Francis Apina Otwoma of NEPHAK TB epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa is primarily HIV driven. Those who are HIV positive having the 50% annual risk of getting TB.The disease still spreads at high rate due to its nature of transmission through coughing or sneezing TB patient can easily transmit disease to nurses, doctors and other patients in the hospital setting.

Most people could be living with TB but are not willing to go for test. These unsuspected cases pose a great challenge because they can continue spreading the disease.

Dr. sitienei concluded that the fight against HIV/AIDS cannot be won if TB pandemic is not treated with the seriousness it deserves.

He urged the government to put aside funds to be used in the fight against Multy Drug Resistant TB curb its spread and treat the reported cases.