Kenya to Conduct Its First TB Survey.

A Team of Representatives and Experts from Health Ministry, USAID and WHO addressing the Press in Nairobi

Kenya is set to conduct its first nationwide Tuberculosis survey to find out the disease prevalence in the country.

The Survey will be conducted in all the 47 counties across the country.

72,000 volunteers will be identified to participate in the Survey exercise that will involve the Ministry of Health, USAID, Global Fund, USAID, and the World Health Organization.

'Results of the survey in all the 47 counties will help in policy formulation to combat the disease. We will involve the community whereby selected people will be interviewed and Sputum samples collected from them' says Dr. Enos Masini Head of TB Department from the Ministry of Health.

Speaking to journalists and stakeholders at a science café in Nairobi on Friday , Chief of Party from TB Arc Brenda Mungai added that samples from the national survey will be tested for TB and those found infected will be put on treatment in public facilities.

TB Prevalence Survey Co-coordinator from Kenya Medical Research Institute KEMRI, Dr. Jane Onyango also said the survey will work towards reaching global targets set by the World Health Organization in eradicating the disease.

‘This research will help to reduce the TB burden in this country. Hugh burden counties are Nairobi, Mombasa and Homa Bay. We will also ensure that all information submitted by the respondents is confidential, ‘she adds.

Head of National TB Reference Lab Josephine Mburu who attended the stakeholders meeting termed TB as a poverty driven disease due to its high prevalence among people with low income levels saying that the research intends to unearth people infected by TB yet they do not seek treatment.

This type of research has been conducted in Nigeria, Ghana, Rwanda, Zambia and currently taking place in Uganda.