Transcript WTBD2004 06 Access to quality TB drugs - Jean Yagi

Increased access to
quality TB drugs
DR Congo Experience
Country profile: DR Congo
DR Congo is one of the world’s 22
high burden TB countries
Size: 2 345 000 Km²
Population: 54 141 875
DOTS coverage: 70%
Application to GDF
Shortage of drugs to treat TB patients
Lack of buffer stocks for 10 years
Some regions with no drugs, and funding
partners unable to increase drug budgets
DOTS could not be maintained even though
TB control programme was generally good
Shift to the 4FDC because of a need for
simplified drug management
How did GDF & STB
Partnership assist
Grant of TB drugs for 63,000 patients in Year
1 and 63,000 in Year 2
Total approx.value = US $1.5 million
Quality assured FDCs
Technical support from secretariat in Geneva
and 3 in-country technical missions
4FDC improved the use of
drugs by TB patients
Shifting from the 3FDC to the 4 FDC
reduced the number of tablets to be taken
by TB patients daily
The 4FDC improved treatment compliance
of TB patients
4FDC improved
TB drug management
Improved case finding
Simplified drug ordering
Simplified stocking and distribution
Reduced complexity of prescription
Minimized risk of potential error
4FDC improved DOTS
strategy
In 2002 and 2003, 2 more provinces
expanded DOTS strategy
In 2004, 2 other provinces will expand
DOTS strategy
DR Congo plans to achieve 90%
DOTS coverage by the end of 2004
NTP is improving case finding
Conclusion
 The provision of 4FDC drugs from GDF has made it
possible to improve the drug management skills of
TB control Programme personnel and primary
health care workers who are responsible for the
diagnosis and treatment of TB
 With available and consistent drug supply, the TB
programme plans to extend DOTS in whole the
country
 4FDC improved the use of drugs by TB patients
 GDF ensured that there were drugs and buffer
available for all TB patients