Message from the Minister of Health- Dr Frank Anthony
Yes, We Can End TB in Guyana
Today marks a pivotal moment in the fight against tuberculosis (TB) as leaders, health organizations, and advocates unite in a campaign entitled “Yes, We Can End TB.” This groundbreaking initiative, aimed at eradicating TB worldwide.
Tuberculosis, a curable and preventable disease, continues to claim millions of lives each year, disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations and hindering socio-economic development. The time to act is now, and the collective commitment to ending TB is stronger than ever.
In Guyana, we are optimistic that we can end Tuberculosis as a public health concern by 2030. The incidence of tuberculosis declined in 2023, there were 370 new cases. The Ministry of Health has taken tangible steps to improve the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis patients.
As a part of our comprehensive approach to tackling tuberculosis, we have developed prevention programs that aim to educate the general population about the disease. Our objective is to increase awareness of tuberculosis, its signs and symptoms, risk factors, and modes of transmission. Our goal is to empower individuals to take proactive steps to protect themselves and their communities from the spread of tuberculosis. Our programs are designed to be accessible and inclusive, catering to diverse audiences to ensure that everyone has access to this critical knowledge.
The Ministry of Health has implemented a robust immunization program with the aim of providing all eligible individuals with the BCG vaccine that can prevent tuberculosis. The program has been successful in achieving high vaccination coverage, thus ensuring that a significant portion of the population remains protected against this infectious disease.
The National TB program offers several options for diagnosing tuberculosis: the Tuberculin Test, Chest X-ray, Sputum microscopy, Culture which takes 4 to 8 weeks, and the Gene X-pert technology, which is faster and currently available in 7 out of 10 regions. Recently, the Ministry of Health added two new 10-color Optic Gene X-pert machines to the National Public Health Reference Laboratory (NPHRL), which can perform Drug Sensitivity Testing (DST) for Isoniazid and four second-line TB drugs. This upgrade is assisting physicians to monitor the effectiveness of drug regimens.
The National Tuberculosis Program (NTP) has recently improved the treatment regimen for Latent TB infection (LTBI). A new combination therapy, Isoniazid and Rifapentine, was introduced to treat LTBI once a week for 12 weeks. This new treatment is expected to greatly improve the completion rates for LTBI treatment and further reduce the incidence of Latent TB.
The National Tuberculosis Program will introduce the newly recommended daily 4-month RPT-MOX TB regimen for drug-susceptible pulmonary TB cases later this year. Reducing the treatment period from six to four months should improve compliance. The Ministry plans to introduce the BPaLm regimen to treat cases of multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis. The duration of treatment using this protocol is six months compared to the current regimen of 18 to 20 months. The collaboration between the National TB Program and the National AIDS Program Secretariat has led to a decrease in patients with HIV/TB coinfection to 16.5% in 2023.
Over the past few years, the Ministry of Health has extended the Directly Observed Therapy Short-course (DOTS) program to 22 locations nationwide and 5 sites within prisons. Furthermore, we have introduced the Video Supported Treatment (VST) initiative as an additional tool to improve adherence and enhance treatment outcomes.
The Ministry of Health is dedicated to support underprivileged TB patients. We offer a range of services to ensure their well-being, including hot and nutritious meals and food hampers. These services are designed to help patients cope with the challenges of their illness and alleviate the financial burden on them and their families. The Ministry recognizes the importance of providing such assistance to those in need and remains committed to supporting TB patients throughout their journey to better health.
Guyana has made significant progress in reducing the number of tuberculosis cases in recent years and is well on its way to eradicating TB as a public health concern by 2030. However, it is crucial that we demonstrate our unwavering political commitment towards achieving this goal. Collaboration and coordination among all stakeholders, including patients, community leaders, DOTS workers, and healthcare professionals, are essential to ensure that our efforts are aligned and that we are making the most effective use of our resources. Let’s take the opportunity of World TB Day to recommit ourselves with unwavering resolve: Yes, we can end TB in Guyana.