Meeting on accelerating the response to multi-drug resistant tuberculosis in Daru Island, Western Province

By: JACOB MARCOS

NDoH-Journalist

The Papua New Guinea Government and its partners, World Health Organisation and Australian Government met recently at Hide Away hotel in Port Moresby to discuss the way forward to accelerate assistance for tuberculosis (TB) epidemic in Daru Island, Western Province. 

The TB situation in Western Province has long been recognised as a major public health issue with high numbers and almost one percent of the population in the province develops TB each year according to the Deputy Secretary for National Health Service Standards, Dr Paison Dakulala. 

“Since 2012, a scaled-up response to TB in the province has identified more TB patients including an increase in notifications of drug-resistant TB (DR-TB) in the South Fly District and growing rates of persons-to-person transmission (primary transmission). Fourteen patients have been diagnosed with Extensively Drug Resistant TB,” Dr Dakulala said.

World Health Organisation (WHO) Country Representative, Dr Pieter vanMaaren, acknowledged that responding to TB in the provinces a unique global health challenge. 

“The situation remains extremely serious and requires additional responses so that it remains appropriate and relevant to eradicate the epidemic. A well-coordinated and scaled up response can lead to a significant reduction in TB incidence and prevalence,” Dr vanMaaren said.

“PNG has a TB response plan for the Western Province. There is strong and effective coordination by the international partners to support the country’s leadership of the response that has included funding key health personals, improving equipment for diagnosis and management, delivering essential drugs, upgrading infrastructure, transport to support mobile outreach, better community awareness and training rural community health workers and volunteers,” he said.

According to the WHO, the work has helped to identify more TB patients in Daru and the neighbouring districts to get improved care to WHO international standards.

PNG government and its partners recognise the importance of external monitoring of the response. That would help improve the performance of programs and assist the PNG government to make policy decisions to curb such epidemics, Dr vanMaaren said.

In addition to the government funding of K40m (not released), the Australian Government has committed AU$44.7million to the response to Multidrug Resistant TB response in Western Province.