One of the leading causes of death among people living with HIV is Tuberculosis (TB). TB is an opportunistic infection (OI), that is, it occurs more often or more severely in people with weakened immune systems than in people with healthy immune systems. HIV weakens the immune system, increasing the risk of TB in people with HIV.

As such, under its Total Control of the Epidemic (TCE) project, DAPP is conducting TB screening in Eastern, Western, Southern and Lusaka provinces. 105,217 people were reached in the year 2020. The screening involved;

-          General screening of TB in communities

-          Screening of people living with HIV and their sexual contacts

-          Screening of key and priority populations

-          Screening of  contacts of TB patients

DAPP EFFORTS TO FIGHT TUBERCULOSIS

1. DAPP field officers conduct TB screening and sputum collection in TB presumptive patients in the community.  The sputum is taken to the laboratories for testing. For clients found positive, DAPP officers alert health providers who then start the patients on medication.
2. Further, the officers’ conduct Contact tracing, a process used to stop the spread of infections in the community by finding and informing the people that the infected person has been in contact with so they can get counselling, screening, testing and treatment if necessary. This is important because it facilitates early identification of symptomatic and infectious linked cases, and allows individuals with TB infection to receive preventive treatment as early as possible.
3. Contacts of TB patients are linked to health care providers who initiate them on Anti-Tuberculosis Treatment (ATT) or Tuberculosis Preventive Therapy (TPT).
4. DAPP officers monitor the adherence to uptake of ATT and TPT through follow ups to the recipients of care. Recipients of care who miss clinical/pharmacy appointments are identified and traced in the community to get them back on medication.
5. DAPP works within communities to provide ongoing support to TB patients during their treatment – which could be from six months to over a year in length. Multi-Drug Resistant TB support groups usually containing three members are set up to aid adherence to treatment. Based on assessments of barriers to diagnosis, initiating and completing treatment, DAPP works with local health authorities to establish these groups which aim to;

• Improving communication between the TB patient and their care giver
• Encouraging families to become actively engaged in the care of family members with TB
• Addressing stigma, feelings of loneliness and isolation among TB patients through peer support, resulting in increased number of patients completing treatment.

SOME KEY RESULTS FROM THE TB INTERVENTION PROGRAM (January – December 2020)

• 13,679 people were screened for TB
• 2,242 had their sputum collected and tested
• 88 were found positive
• 88 were linked and put on treatment
• 516 contacts were linked to Tuberculosis Preventive Therapy (TPT).