TWENDE :Tuberculosis is a curable disease; let’s take action

 

 

Tuberculosis (TB) is an airborne disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC). TB diagnosis is based on symptoms screening, detection of acid fast bacilli in sputum by microscopy or mycobacterial DNA by GeneXpert and chest X-ray. According to WHO all TB cases should have access to diagnosis and treatment services.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ON THE LEFT:Ms. Elizabeth (in green and black) Qualitative Data Investigator:  Discussion on qualitative Data collection.  ON THE RIGHT:    A lab technician loads a sputum sample into an Xpert®    MTB/RIF  diagnosis machine for TB 

Tuberculosis (TB) is an airborne disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC). TB diagnosis is based on symptoms screening, detection of acid fast bacilli in sputum by microscopy or mycobacterial DNA by GeneXpert and chest X-ray. According to WHO all TB cases should have access to diagnosis and treatment services. 

Kilimanjaro Clinical Research Institute (KCRI) started to implement the Tuberculosis qualitative research study activities, labelled as TWENDE - ‘’Tuberculosis: Working together to Empower Nations’ Diagnostic Effort’’. TWENDE is a collaborative study aiming at assessing the implementation and uptake of molecular diagnostics for tuberculosis in the East African region.

TWENDE project is implemented by a consortium of seven institutions including KCRI, other partners are:

o   University of St. Andrews [UK]

o   East Africa Health Research Commission [EAHRC]

o   CPAR Uganda Ltd [Uganda]

o   National Institute of Medical Research [NIMR]- Mbeya Medical Research Centre [Tanzania]

o   School of Biomedical Science of College of Health Sciences of MUK [Uganda]

o   Kenya Medical Research Institute [Kenya]

 

TWENDE received its ethical approval from Kilimanjaro Christian Medical University College Research Ethical Review Committee (CRERC) and the National Institute of Medical Research [NIMR]’s health research ethics committee i.e National Health Research Ethics Committee (NatHREC).

Prof. Blandina Theophil Mmbaga (KCRI’s Director) is the local Principal Investigator for TWENDE project. Ms. Elizabeth Msoka (researcher at KCRI) is a social science lead person for TWENDE study at KCRI. Thus, she is responsible for qualitative data collection and analysis. Others on KCRI’s TWENDE team are: Dr. Alphonce Liyoyo (CO-PI), Dr. Hadija Semvua (Postdoc and coordinator), Mr. Kiula Kiula (Knowledge Translation Officer), Tupokigwe (Administrator), Davis, Salim and Martha (Field officers).

On qualitative data, KCRI site shall do the following: Conduct a total of sixty (60) in-depth interviews and at least five [5] focus group discussions (FGDs). Most FGDs will be done in six selected regions and one in a non-visited region. The selected regions to be visited are: Manyara, Kilimanjaro, Singida, Kagera, Mwanza, Kigoma and one no-visited region will be Tanga. Targeted districts shall be Siha, Simanjiro, Kasulu, Karagwe and Tanga. All these are in Northern regions of Tanzania. Each FGD session shall have at least 20 participants so as to make a total of 100 participants. For each FGD, participants will be; TB patients and survivors, TB/HIV co-infected patients, TB community advisory team members (CABs) and villagers. These FGDs will be conducted in four Districts; one in each district in the following district:

TWENDE publications are found on KCRI’s website since 2016. These include ’Tuberculosis diagnostics: Time for change’’ which covers the launching of the project which took place at Nelson Mandela African Institute of Science and Technology (NM-AIST) in September, 2016. More shall be shared in the near future on the progress of TWENDE activities. Future posts shall include; results of data collection, research reports, policy briefs, and opinions from survey as well as auditing and qualitative data from Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya.

Also, for further engagement with policy makers and other stakeholders in this area, KCRI and NIMR-Mbeya TWENDE teams in collaboration with the TB and Leprosy coordination team will conduct a policy dialogue workshop later this year, 2017 in Dodoma. The aim of this workshop is to share and explore more issues related to TB diagnosis, treatment and stigma related to Tuberculosis and effort to fight against TB in Tanzania.

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