The fight to eradicate Tuberculosis in Western Province is not yet over, says Daru Hospital Chief Executive Officer, Orpah Tugo.
Ms Tugo says, current facilities cannot cater for the population screening exercise aimed to be carried out in 2017. “We need to have facilities before the screening exercise is carried out”, said CEO Tugo.
The hospital is operating with level 4 facilities while the Health Department has rated it to have level 5 infrastructure. It needs more bed space, staff housing and specialist wards. CEO Tugo explains that there is only a general ward with no specialist wards such as pediatric, surgical, obstetrics and gynaecology.
She says, with relevant assistance from donor agencies, NGOs and other partners, the spread of tuberculosis especially drug-resistant cases are under control.
However the hospital is still waiting a K22 million and K17 million intervention respectively from the National government and the Western Provincial Government to help curb the deadly infectious disease.