Children make up 26 per cent of TB cases in the country

CHILDREN make up an alarming 26 per cent of tuberculosis cases in the country and that is significantly higher than the global average of 10 per cent, according to a doctor.
Project director for the Paediatric Society of PNG (PSPNG), Dr Henry Welch, said that was caused by factors like delayed treatment, under-equipped health centres, and staffing challenges, with community transmission which played a key role.
“Detecting tuberculosis in children poses challenges due to vague symptoms however, efforts spearheaded by the National TB Programme (NTP) and the Paediatric Society aim to bolster diagnosis and treatment.,” he said.
“These efforts involve training healthcare professionals, implementing improved testing methods, and enhancing treatment options for drug-resistant TB and TB-HIV co-infection.”
Welch added that to address this issue, PSPNG launched the Child TB-HIV Project, funded by the PNG Australia Partnership, in collaboration with the NTP, Health Department, Port Moresby General Hospital, and the School of Medicine and Health Sciences.
“It is enhancing testing and detection of child TB cases,” he said.
“In addition, PSPNG and the NTP have made groundbreaking strides by introducing child-friendly TB medicine, a remarkable accomplishment not just for Papua New Guinea but also on a global scale.
“This partnership is at the forefront of updating guidelines and equipping healthcare workers with the latest skills.”