During the celebration ceremony of World Tuberculosis Day, the prefect of the department of Dagana informed that this commune was distinguished by the number of incident cases missing from detection.
It is the health district of the city of Richard Toll which hosted the celebration of World Tuberculosis Day yesterday. This year’s theme was: “Yes! We can end TB”. Representing the Minister of Health and Social Action, the prefect of the department of Dagana indicated that in 2022, the Health District of Richard Toll, despite the therapeutic performance, stood out for the number of incident cases missing from the detection of about a third not found and the proportion of deaths high at 3. For Ibrahima I. Ndiaye, associated comorbidities such as HIV infection and drug-resistant forms of the disease complicate the fight.
The main determinants of the disease that maintain the epidemic are, according to him, poverty, undernutrition or malnutrition, HIV infection, tobacco consumption and diabetes. “Faced with such a scourge, the whole community, at all levels, is challenged and invited to greater commitment to put an end to this epidemic. “Yes! We can end TB.”
Indeed, through a synergy of collective actions, he says, it is possible to put an end to this scourge by 2030 and thus achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Especially since the results obtained from the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic in the world and in Senegal, in particular, offer a good example of an effective and relevant response. “Let’s harness, explore and amplify all the benefits that new molecular rapid TB diagnostic techniques like GeneXpert, new short and oral regimens, digital technology and artificial intelligence can bring to the TB response “, declares the departmental executive.
Thus, according to the prefect, 2023 is crucial for those involved in the fight against tuberculosis and must be seen as the year of hope and a major turning point in the wake of an emerging Senegal without tuberculosis. In doing so, he said, several key areas should focus all efforts to achieve the expected results the consequent increase in funding to scale up and accelerate the implementation of activities.
“Already, the State budget dedicated to the acquisition of drugs for the treatment of tuberculosis and laboratory equipment and products to ensure free care, has increased from 260,000,000 FCFA to 800,000,000 FCFA between 2020 and 2023, an increase of 308%”, reveals Mr. Ndiaye. The prefect adds that there must be universal access to the Xpert MTB/Rif test, through the strengthening of the availability of the devices and an efficient sample transport system that the State has put in place, with the support of its technical and financial partners, strengthening the care of vulnerable populations and groups at risk such as children, through active screening and preventive treatment of all targeted people, among others.
As a result, he says, empowering every citizen will undoubtedly reduce the tuberculosis burden in the population through better detection of missing cases and steady progress in treatment success. “The State will continue, with its partners and following the wise instructions of the President of the Republic, to support the PNT in the optimal implementation of the new integrated strategic plan for the fight against Tuberculosis, HIV and viral hepatitis. 2023-2030 which essentially aims to offer integrated care and prevention at all stages of life.The focus is on vulnerable populations and the barriers related to human rights and gender that hinder the access to early and quality care”, underlines the prefect of the department of Dagana.
“Compliance is an element and a success factor in relation to this treatment”
Regional chief doctor of Saint-Louis, Dr Seynabou Ndiaye Gaye informs that they have noticed that a third of the cases sought, within the framework of screening, are often found at the level of the district of Richard Toll. “We have a fairly high death rate. This shows that it is still important to make efforts in the fight against tuberculosis in this district. This is why we need to organize this day. We also encourage the community to continue the efforts for this slogan. Since it is a question of screening, because we have a detection rate which is extremely high at the level of the region. Beyond the national average which is 72%, we are now at 75%. the possibility of giving this chance to a tuberculosis patient to be detected and to be treated at the level of the structures until the level of the community. It is possible to eliminate the disease at the level of the region”, declares- She.
According to him, members of grassroots community organizations are trained to recognize the signs of this disease and to be able to refer patients to health structures. Then there is the treatment. “In this treatment, it is important to note that compliance is an element and a factor of success. So these community actors continue with this patient to go and visit him at the community level, to be able to accompany him in this In addition to this, this actor will encourage the family environment, when we have a certain number of criteria which are defined and which exist, to be able to screen the members, to allow this disease to be screened very early and to be able to The community actor plays an extremely important role. It is a really important strategy at the level of the region”, confided Dr Seynabou Ndiaye Gaye.