Fight Against TB

Treatment Action Group director for TB-HIV Project, Erica Lessem says all TB patients in Papua New Guinea must get the best treatment and not only in the most affected areas.

Lessem was part of the Regional Green Light Committee (GLC) that recently visited the country to evaluate the progress of TB response that has occurred since 2015.

Lessem said they’ve seen great progress in the hot spot areas where the best treatment is given to TB patients especially in Daru and Gulf Province.

The Region is made up of 37 countries.

World Health Organisation (WHO) reports that PNG unfortunately has a very high rate of TB and is one of the most endemic countries for TB.

WHO regional coordinator for stop TB and leprosy elimination, Dr Nobuyuki Nishikiori, said the increase in multidrug resistant TB is a great concern for the region.

Nishikiori was part of the Regional Green Light Committee (RGLC) that recently visited PNG to evaluate the progress of the TB epidemic that has occurred since 2015.

The 12-month project involves the new TB treatment designed for children with medication that is dissolvable, better tasting and requires children to take fewer pills each day.

Australia has provided K542,000 toward piloting the project, which will be used to buy and distribute child TB medication and to develop protocols for roll out across the country.

Speaking at the launch of the project, Australian High Commissioner Counsellor for Health and HIV, Christine Sturrock, said currently in PNG, child-friendly TB drugs are not available.

The project is being trialed for 12 months at the Port Moresby General Hospital and involves TB medication designed for children that requires few pills (two) each day.

Children will no longer take medications designed for adults that are difficult to swallow, need to be cut in half or crushed, and have an unpleasant taste.

These dissolvable tablets have sweet flavours and accurate dosages specially manufactured for children.