12 Dec 2008 | Article

The small kingdom of Swaziland in southern Africa registers the highest rate of people infected with tuberculosis (TB) in the world. 12 out of every 1000 people contract this contagious disease each year. Working from within the Swazi public health structure, Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) is treating those suffering from TB, with a particular emphasis on extensively drug resistant TB (XDR TB) that has begun to spread.

 

Nikki, an MSF nurse, distributes medicines for TB treatment. Photo: Jonathan Heyer

In a country where 80% of the population live in rural areas, where settlements consist of large numbers of small houses a long way from the main communication networks, getting healthcare is difficult for many families.

 

Some 12,000 new cases of TB, 200 of which are of the drug-resistant variety (DR), have been identified in Swaziland in 2008. The detection and treatment of DR TB are priorities. Development of services for patients is urgent, especially for children and particularly with regard to the efficiency of the laboratories and the consistency of drug supplies.

 

According to MSF teams, “the most advanced methods are needed for TB complex diagnosis and for its treatment.”

 

“We must train our colleagues and ensure that they do not become infected, build a less impersonal isolation area for the weak and contagious. But above all, we must adapt our care and treatment of this disease to the day-to-day reality of the women and their children.”