Mathatisi Sebusi
At least three out of five tuberculosis (TB) patients are dying while on treatment due to their inability to afford nutritious foods.
The alarming statistics were revealed to parliamentarians during their tour of Matukeng Health Centre in the outskirts of Maseru this week.
Staff at the center disclosed to the parliamentarians that more and more TB patients were dying because they were taking their medications on empty stomachs.
Nurse Ntomane Khomane told the MPs from the Social Cluster Committee that strong TB medications required patients to have eaten before taking their pills.
But many lacked access to food resulting in their deaths.
Mr Khomane stated the clinic was unable to provide social assistance, including food parcels, to TB patients.
“TB treatment is very strong and needs patients to eat before taking it. Taking it on an empty stomach with a weak immune system is what kills most patients,” he said.
Despite the clinic’s efforts to ensure that TB treatment was always available and that patients were monitored by village health workers to ensure adherence to their treatment, their efforts often become fruitless.
Mapalesa Nyai, a supervisor for village health workers, echoed Mr Khomane’s sentiments. Ms Nyai, who works with Matukeng Health Centre and oversees 30 village health workers providing services to 24 villages around Rothe and Mazenod in Maseru, said caring for TB patients in the villages was very challenging. Health workers were often forced to share their own food with patients to ensure they took their medication.
She noted that most TB patients came from disadvantaged backgrounds and had no access to food assistance.
“The challenge is we, as village health workers, do not earn enough to buy food for ourselves and our patients. We receive an allowance of M800, which often takes more than two months to get paid. This means we frequently have nothing to eat ourselves, let alone share,” Ms Nyai said emotionally.
She emphasized that most households with TB patients were poverty-stricken.
She therefore urged the government to provide food parcels to enable patients to fight TB and regain their health.
“The only thing standing in the way of TB patients’ healing is poverty and hunger. Our patients are loyal to their medication, but the challenge is they take it on empty stomachs,” she noted.
The Matukeng clinic’s manager, Nthakoana Mokeretla, reported that the clinic did not have a haemoglobinometer to measure haemoglobin concentration in the blood. They have been without this equipment for over five years. She also mentioned the lack of a blood pressure cuff and a blood glucose meter, used for testing blood pressure and checking diabetes, respectively. Additionally, the clinic lacks a measuring scale for children and must use a maternity scale, compromising quality assurance.
“We have one maternity bed, no incubator for premature babies, and no ultrasound to detect the health status of an expecting mother and her unborn child,” Ms Mokeretla said.
Upon hearing this, the Chairperson of the Social Cluster Committee, Mokhothu Makhalanyane, expressed disbelief and admonished the government for failing to provide basic assistance, including food parcels, to the TB patients.
“Patients should not be dying because of taking medication without food. The government has budgeted for such instances. I will inquire about the matter and get to the bottom of it,” Mr Makhalanyane said.
He also encouraged the clinic’s management to contact the relevant ministry and inquire about public assistance services that could be granted to TB patients.
Speaking to the Lesotho Times on the sidelines of the Monday inspection, Mr Makhalanyane said the committee would meet with the Ministry of Health next week. He said the purpose of the inspection was to alert the committee about the state of health care centres and their operations, enabling them to make relevant recommendations to the ministry.
He said the inspection covered building structures, cleanliness and hygiene, availability of clean water, staffing and qualifications of health workers, availability of medical equipment and supplies, and adequate supply of essential medical equipment.
“The inspection also includes patient service, patient record-keeping and data management, availability of health education materials, accessibility, community outreach programs, and community engagement programs,” Mr Makhalanyane said.
He added that the committee would compile a report for the Ministry of Health’s consideration after the inspection. Through the inspection, they learned that the clinic lacks essential medical machinery, resulting in preventable deaths.
“These are not even big machines. Now that we are aware of the need, we will ensure that the machines are purchased,” he said.
The committee has been inspecting health centres around Maseru from to assess their conditions and make recommendations to the Ministry of Health regarding potential challenges and resource shortages.
