• Democratic Republic of Congo

• Democratic Republic of Congo

[vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern”][vc_column][vc_tabs style=”boxed”][vc_tab title=”Updates from the Field” tab_id=”92f86634-7261-5″]

[/vc_tab][vc_tab title=”Background” tab_id=”f2268873-5267-0″][vc_row_inner row_type=”row” type=”full_width” text_align=”left” css_animation=””][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”787″ img_size=”full” qode_css_animation=”” css=”.vc_custom_1533425979278{padding-bottom: 32px !important;}”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is missing more than 48% of its 254,000 people estimated to have developed drug-sensitive TB in 2016. During the same year, 91% of its 7,600 people estimated to have developed drug-resistant TB were also missed by the health system.

To find more of its missing people with TB, DRC is implementing a five-prong approach. The country is scaling up and optimizing the use of GeneXpert MTB/RIF and LED microscopy as the initial diagnostic test for TB in five priority provinces, among at-risk populations. DRC is also prioritizing active case finding in major hospitals and HIV testing and treatment centers, and also integrates TB screening of all outpatients in maternal health services. The organization of an efficient network for sample transport is another key area through which the transport of samples shall be strengthened from the HIV testing and treatment centers to GeneXpert sites, from GeneXpert sites to the Provincial Leprosy and Tuberculosis Coordination Units as well as from the Units to the National Reference Laboratory for Mycobacterium. Moreover, a system for electronic feedback of results on smartphones is being established to enable rapid transmission of laboratory results and hence ensure initiation of timely treatment for the patients. DRC is also systematically implementing investigative surveys of contact cases by community outreach workers and plans to screen five contacts for each index case identified among DR-TB patients.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_tab][/vc_tabs][/vc_column][/vc_row]