Karonga District Hospital to Construct TB Isolation Ward in Fight Against Disease

KARONGA, Malawi-The construction of a tuberculosis isolation ward at Karonga District Hospital is expected to aid in the fight against the disease and contribute to strategies to end TB by 2030, writes Wezzie Mwangonde.

According to the TB officer in the district, Samson Chitsulo, this is the first time the hospital will have an isolation ward for patients, particularly those suffering from drug-resistant TB who require attention from healthcare personnel.

Chitsulo noted that the availability of the ward will help healthcare personnel closely monitor these patients and contribute to TB treatment and care.

"This is the first time we will have a special ward for our patients, and this will help a lot, especially in infection prevention and control," said Chitsulo.

George Jobe, a health rights activist, commended the Ministry of Health through the National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Elimination Programme for providing support for the project, describing the special ward for TB patients as a milestone in the country's health sector.

Jobe also urged the NTLEP to raise more resources so that many hospitals in the country could have TB isolation wards to aid in the fight against the disease.

"We would like to commend the NTLEP for the project because patients will receive attention, and more will be healed," explained Jobe.

Funded by the World Bank, the National Tuberculosis and Elimination Programme has been constructing a TB isolation ward at Karonga District Hospital since December 2022, with completion expected in May 2023.