Africa: Drug Resistance, Alcohol And Money

Durban — A complex mix of issues drives drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) patients to default on medication, not least of which are alcohol and money, according to new research presented by Medicines Sans Frontiers (MSF), the international medical charity, at the South African TB Conference in the east-coast city of Durban.

When 22 percent of drug-resistant TB patients defaulted on treatment at one of MSF's clinics in the Cape Town township of Khayelitsha, despite access to services such as counselling and treatment support groups, TB councillors reviewed patient records to find out why.

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