Daru hospital gets machine to improve TB testing

Daru Hospital in South Fly, Western, now has a machine to help Tuberculosis testing, says national TB programme manager Dr Margaret Karl.
She said the 16-module 10-colour GeneXpert machine would really help the workforce in the province.
The GeneXpert machine will be used at the hospital laboratory.
“Western (has) the highest number of TB cases (30 per cent) in the country requiring more intervention to curb the burden,” Dr Karl said.
“This machine will decentralise TB testing and management to the province which the Department of Health aims to achieve across the country.
Central public health laboratories chief scientist Jennifer Banamu said once MTB-XDR was detected, patients were started on the correct treatment early to stop the spread.
And orientation training was conducted to teach lab technicians from the Daru and Kiunga hospitals on how to use the new machine.
Western health authority curative health director Dr Miriam Boga acknowledged the continuous support from the Health Department and health partners.