Doctors challenged to step-up fight against lung diseases

By STANDARD REPORTER

Health Principal Secretary Fred Segor has urged doctors and clinical officers to seek new ways of fighting tuberculosis, leprosy and lung diseases.

Addressing a meeting to review the country’s roadmap in fighting the diseases yesterday, Segor said more money, more health professionals and well-equipped laboratories will help reduce the prevalence of the diseases. “The laboratory network in Kenya has been growing. Kenya needs many more facilities and well-trained staff to run them to provide optimal TB care services,” he said at Nairobi’s Kenya School of Government.

The Strategic Plan for the National Tuberculosis, Leprosy and Lung Disease Unit was developed in 2011 and was scheduled to run to 2015, but the doctors and clinical officers are keen to make sure the challenges posed by devolved governments and the transfer of health functions to the counties are dealt with.

“The management that was formerly at 12 regional levels is now at 47 county levels. This has necessitated the hiring of new staff, a re-definition of roles and responsibilities and reallocation of resources for TB control. The fact that not all counties are at the same level of autonomy affects how well they are able to carry out some of the devolved functions of TB, Leprosy and Lung disease control,” said the PS.

He added: “Although the TB unit believes the targets established in the previous plan have been met or exceeded, much more needs to be done to sustain the gains made and to begin to move the country towards TB elimination,” said the PS

The PS said the plan would now take on board asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases and tobacco related diseases in an attempt to help Kenya move closer to meeting the Millenium Development Goals.

“The unit has established asthma clinics in several institutions and my ministry is committed to ensuring that the drugs necessary for the control of the condition are available. Equipment has been supplied to some of these sites and more is under way to be procured to improve access to these services,” the PS told the health professionals.

The PS sounded an alarm over increased cases of leprosy in the country and called for the cases to be solved urgently.

“We are still seeing pockets of leprosy cases in the country. Children are now emerging with leprosy, hence a need to focus on accelerating the post elimination phase activities. These include active case detection in affected areas, early diagnosis and treatment and rehabilitation of those who have developed disabilities due to the disease,” said Segor.