Lubango — The number of patients who abandoned tuberculosis treatment in Huila province fell from 376 in the first quarter of 2025 to 304 in the same period this year, reported the director of the Lubango Sanatorium Hospital, Lourenço Kotele.
Speaking to ANGOP, the official considered the evolution "encouraging" although the levels still remain high, considering that the abandonment rate is around 30 percent, an indicator considered "worrying" since it remains above the recommended levels, set between 5 and 10 percent.
The director stated that treatment abandonment continues to be one of the main challenges in tuberculosis control, and many patients interrupt therapy prematurely, which aggravates their clinical condition, the risk of complications, and contagion.
Lourenço Kotele emphasized that the situation becomes even more worrying when patients return to the unit in an advanced stage of the disease, which is why the hospital has reinforced its active patient search efforts, with teams conducting home visits in the communities.
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Families are also being involved in awareness campaigns, with the aim of ensuring greater adherence to and continuity of treatment, and health education campaigns have contributed to reinforcing awareness of the importance of completing tuberculosis treatment.
The health official added that social support for vulnerable patients, through government programs, has also helped in the gradual reduction of dropouts, having defended greater coordination with the municipal health network to ensure the follow-up of patients outside the hospital.
He highlighted that in the same period, 839 new cases of tuberculosis were registered, compared to 936 in the first quarter of 2025, indicating a slight reduction in the incidence of the disease in the province.
The official stated that in terms of healthcare response, the Lubango Sanatorium Hospital carried out 3,236 emergency room visits, a significant increase compared to 1,637 during the same period last year.
Hospital Focuses on Improved Diagnosis
The director indicated that the unit has been strengthening its laboratory capacity over the past two years, consolidating itself as one of the main references in Huila province for the diagnosis of respiratory and infectious diseases, especially tuberculosis, pneumonia, and HIV/AIDS.
Among the main resources, he highlighted the microbiology laboratory, which allows for the identification of the causative agent of infections and guides the most appropriate treatment, being considered one of the institution's greatest achievements in recent years.
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He explained that this service has played a key role in controlling tuberculosis and other respiratory infections, particularly in cases that do not respond to initial treatment.
In the emergency department, the unit has strengthened the rapid support laboratory, which provides results in about 30 minutes. This accelerates clinical decision-making in critical situations and is seen as essential in caring for seriously ill patients, where diagnosis time can be crucial for clinical outcomes.
The institution currently has only ten doctors, despite having more than 20 planned, representing a deficit of over 50 percent.
In nursing, the hospital employs around 68 professionals when it needs more than 140, also registering a significant shortage.
Overall, the institution faces limitations in terms of staff numbers, especially in the most specialized areas, which impact the healthcare response.
Despite this, he emphasized that modernizing laboratory units has reduced diagnosis times and improved the quality of care. BP/MS/AMP
