Kenya makes history in the war against TB among children
Kenya became the first country to launch child-friendly Tuberculosis in accordance to the WHO Child-friendly medicines standards. This new development was led by the TB Alliance with funding by UNITAD. This is a big plus for the health-care facilities and more-so children-TB patients under 25kgs. According to the Global Tuberculosis Report 2015, Kenya ranks among the 22 high TB burden countries that account for 80% of all estimated TB cases world-wide. The report further confirms that in 2014, 9.6 million people were infected with TB. Among these, 1 Million were Children. There were 1.5 Million reported deaths from TB in 2014, comprising of 140,000 children. These statistics, are alarming and the launch of the Child-friendly medicines is a significant relief as the world works towards the Global End TB strategy.
Initially, children were treated using adult medication which involved cutting and crushing the bitter adult-treatment tablets. This led to uncertainty in the right dosage when crushing the tablets or when the particles were mixed with food to disguise the bitter taste. The 6-month treatment was quite challenging for the children, guardians, and health-care workers and this would pose a risk of treatment non-compliance hence development of drug-resistant tuberculosis or even death.
The new Child-friendly formulation involves a tablet which is dissolved in 20ml of water within 12 seconds to form a solution with sweet raspberry flavor. The new fixed-dose combination contains rifampicin + isoniazid + pyrazinamide, in the initial two months of treatment, after that four months of Rifampicin + Isoniazid. The new formulations are now free in all public health facilities in the country from October 2016.
The Child-friendly medicines are expected to make the daily 6-months treatment period of Tuberculosis at least more manageable for the affected children and family as well as the health-care givers. “I was excited when I heard there is new sweet flavored TB medicine for children. My five year old son Duncan has had to chew eight and a half bitter tasting tablets daily at 8.00pm. It has not been easy. I can see him struggle but I did not know what to do. It will now be an easy task for caregivers to give the TB medicine to their children” Said Franscica, a 26 year old mother of one five year boy who is currently on TB treatment.
By Mercy Karumba
