World Vision helps fight TB in Somaliland

World Vision has partnered with the World Health Organisation (WHO), Somaliland government, and other agencies to establish the first specialised treatment centre for multi-drug resistant (MDR) tuberculosis in Hargeisa, Somaliland.

Equipped with a state of the art laboratory, a ward of 30 beds and specially-trained staff, the centre will address the risks posed by the MDR form of tuberculosis by providing specialised diagnosis and treatment.

“Patients suffering from MDR tuberculosis have been traveling to Ethiopia, Kenya and Djibouti to seek treatment. It is very expensive and a majority of the patients cannot afford the treatment, let alone the cost of the journey,” says Dr. Vianney Rusagara, Global Fund TB Program Director at World Vision.

The new treatment facility, housed within Hargeisa general hospital, is currently treating 40 cases referred from the region.

“By expanding the tuberculosis program, we hope to fast track the 2015 Millennium Development Goal of reversing tuberculosis incidence and reducing the mortality rate by 50 percent worldwide,” says Francois Batalingaya, World Vision Somalia country director, whose remit includes Somaliland.

World Vision started tuberculosis treatment in Somalia in 2004 and now over 100,000 people in Somalia have received this treatment. Despite this success, there is growing concern that the MDR form of tuberculosis is under-diagnosed and treated in Somalia.

A survey conducted in Somalia in 2012 indicates that 5 percent of newly-diagnosed cases of tuberculosis were the MDR form, while a worrying 41 percent of patients previously treated for tuberculosis accounted for newly-diagnosed cases of MDR tuberculosis. These figures illustrate the scale of the challenge for tuberculosis control in Somalia and Somaliland.

Treatment of ordinary tuberculosis can last up to eight months. Patients are required to make daily trips to treatment centres to take medication under medical observation. Some patients are unable to maintain that schedule amid their displacement by conflict, lack of food, and long distances to be covered.

“Such patients are most likely to develop MDR tuberculosis, which is harder to treat and is a regime lasting as long as 24 months. Treatment of MDR tuberculosis has a lower success rate of between 60 and 70 percent,” Dr. Vianney says.

While there are almost 70 tuberculosis treatment centres in Somalia supported by World Vision, operated by a number of implementing partner agencies, the presence and spread of the disease in the country is mostly a result of communities’ lack of information and access to quality treatment.

Working closely with our implementing partners, and with governments, World Vision is conducting awareness campaigns to reach more people, especially those in remote areas.

“Many people are still missing out on diagnosis, and are suffering as a result. We want to reach as many of these communities with a message of hope: that tuberculosis is preventable and treatable at no cost to the patient,” says Dr. Vianney.

A recent survey, conducted by an independent tuberculosis expert on behalf of World Vision’s tuberculosis program, indicates that the treatment ratio has been brought down to 100,000 people per treatment centre in 2013, from 500,000 people per centre in 2004.

World Tuberculosis Day, on 24 March, 2014, aims to raise awareness of the 3 million people worldwide with tuberculosis who are "missed" by public health systems and do not get the care they need. Many of these three million people live in the world’s poorest, most vulnerable communities, including Somalia and Somaliland.

World Vision’s tuberculosis program in Somalia is funded by the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, while technical support and additional funds are provided by World Vision United Kingdom. The World Food Program provides additional food support to patients, while the European Commission Humanitarian Organisation ECHO provides logistics.

Notes to editors:
Somaliland is internationally recognised as an autonomous and sovereign state, but remains part of Somalia. The new centre treats patients from Somalia and Somaliland.
Spokespeople available: Dr. Vianney Rusagara, Global Fund TB Program Director at World Vision; Dr. Sarah Morgan, senior health adviser for World Vision UK, who was involved in founding this project.
Please contact Sarah Wilson or Chris Weeks at the World Vision UK communications office on +44 (0) 1908 841020 or +44 (0) 7889 631613 to contact our spokespeople – or by e-mail them at firstname.lastname@worldvision.org.uk