DILI, 07 march 2022 ((TATOLI)—The Ministry of Health (MoH) through the Global Fund provided a GeneXpert machine at Bairro-Pité Clinic, this support is to help on sample examination as on treating this infectious disease TB (Tuberculosis) in Timor-Leste.
GeneXpert is a cartridge-based nucleic acid amplification test for simultaneous rapid TB diagnosis and rapid antibiotic sensitivity testing. This is an automated diagnostic test that can identify Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA and resistance to rifampin.
The Head of the Tuberculosis Program Unit at the Ministry of Health, Constantino Lopes said that the provision of the GeneXpert machine was a rare response to Prime Minister Taur Matan Ruak’s statement in 2021 to eliminate TB in the TL before 2025.
“We gave it to this clinic because they will do more diagnoses and this machine does not only diagnose TB but also for other diseases using samples,” said Constantino at Bairru-Pite Air Base Clinic, monday.
The Ministry of Health has a plan with the Bairro-Pité Air Base Clinic for screening in every village in the Dili municipality to detect more TB.
Thus, the National Health Laboratory (LNS) has handled too many samples, of course, with the presence of the clinic, it can help detect TB and HIV.
Bairopite Airbase Clinic Manager, Inácio dos Santos is grateful for the efforts of the Ministry of Health, Global Fund and LNS to provide the GeneXpert machine because so far Bairro-Pité Airport Clinic only has a microscope to detect TB and this is considered not optimal.
“This will be very helpful, we also currently have cases of TB resistance, hopefully we can detect more,” he said.
According to data from the Bairro-Pité Air Base Clinic, in 2021 it has detected 480 TB cases, of which 182 are positive for active TB and capable of infecting others. In 2022, from January to 2022, 80 cases of TB have been detected.
All of these cases are currently still in the recovery process. The Administrator of the Ministry of Health’s Global Funds Division, Noe Gaspar, said that the GeneXpert machines have now spread across 21 municipalities in the TL, except for the municipality of Aileu.
This GeneXpert machine is directly controlled by the Quality Control of TB. “This is to support the Clinic’s work performance in particular to better detect TB patients in order to provide treatment quickly. It can contribute to saving more lives.
They have been partners with the Global Fund for about five years,” he said. The Global Fund has been provided $21 million to the TL Ministry of Health. The financial allocated to corresponding to the TB, Malaria and HIV/AIDS amount $15.7 million. The other fund $5.4 million on responding for COVID-19. This is a dedicated grant from january 2021 to december 2023.
Mr. Noe Gaspar also emphasized that the Global Fund division provides opportunities for associations and foundations in TL, which have submitted their proposals, especially for dealing with HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria.
Journalist: José Belarmino De Sá
Editor: Rafy Belo
