TANZANIA Training Centre for International Health-Ifakara (TTCIH) is promoting the Patients-Centered Treatment (PCT) approach for tuberculosis (TB) patients.

Speaking to the "Daily News on Saturday," the Director at the Institute, Prof Senga Pemba said PCT is a home grown solution that has been rolled out across the country.

"We are communicating with the World Health Organisation (WHO) to encourage other countries with high prevalence of TB cases to adapt our approach," he said.

The unique approach has received a boost from the National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR), TTCIH and a Swedish pharmaceutical company, Novartis Foundation for Sustainable Development. The patient friendly approach was tested in three pilot districts - one urban and two rural (Arusha City, Mufindi - Iringa Region and Kahama - Shinyanga Region respectively).

Principal Research Scientist at NIMR, Dr Nyagosya Range says that there are still challenges in the supervision of the educators who teach people the benefits of PCT. However, patients now have a choice between taking the daily dose at a health facility, supervised under medical personnel referred to as the Directly Observed Treatment Shortcourse and the daily dose that is delivered at home, supported by a family or community member.

Participants from hospitals, health centres, research institutes in Morogoro took part in the training to develop better understanding of the PCT approach. Tanzania has about 60,000 new TB cases annually. Since 2005 the Novartis Foundation for Sustainable Development (NFSD) has donated gold standard TB medicines for the treatment of all adult patients in the country.

According to the statement issued by NFSD, the fixed-dose combination therapy speeds up the recovery process to a minimum of six months. TB is a very complex disease to treat, as it requires a combination of daily drugs. In order to avoid resistance the WHO recommends DOTS.

In his remarks while opening a workshop recently, Prof Senga Pemba, Director of TTCIH said the PCT approach will be rolled out to other regions in the country to ensure that health centres assist TB patients. He commended Novartis employees who donated 18,580 Euros, saying that it was something Tanzanians should emulate.

Patients under PCT from Morogoro, Dar es Salaam and the Coast regions said that PCT has helped them adhere to treatment. Kelley Samuel who lives in Morogoro Rural said that he found PCT very convenient. Dr Range said some of the problems facing PCT include lack of supervision in implementing the approach, saying often there is not enough information in addressing patients concerns.

"We have realised that the health providers need to be taught how to manage PCT better," she said. Speaking at the workshop, Prof Senga Pemba said "We are trying to move away from the old practice of having doctors as directors of patients welfare."

He and added, "This approach will help to efficiently make use of scarce resources within the health sector. The approach enhances diagnostic satisfaction and helps make patients feel part and parcel of the healing process," he emphasised.