Nation-wide survey: TB services in Ukraine still operating
What impact does the military invasion by the Russian Federation have on the TB services in Ukraine? Already before war, Ukraine had one of the highest TB incidences in the WHO European Region, and one of the highest rates of multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) worldwide.
Researchers from Ukraine and Research Center Borstel made a national survey on the impact of war in Ukraine on TB diagnostics and treatment services. On 15 August 2022 they undertook a countrywide prevalence survey among all regional TB centres (TB dispensaries) in Ukraine. The questionnaire contained 47 items, like number of patients in inpatient and outpatient care, condition of the medical infrastructure and the availability of diagnostics and anti-TB medicines. In order to compare the data with previous periods, two additional dates were added. 23 February 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic, and 23 February 2022, before the invasion of Ukraine.
21 out of 25 regional TB dispensaries were able to participate in the survey, with the exception of the TB dispensaries form the occupied territories. The good news is: Between February 2019 and February 2022 there has been a progressive reduction in the mean number of hospitalized adult TB patients which remained relatively unchanged in August 2022. Furthermore, first-line medicines for tuberculosis treatment were available in all 21 TB dispensaries. Also, only two TB dispensaries reported shortages of consumables for molecular diagnostics of TB and genotypic prediction of drug resistance.
However, there were also stock-outs for several other medicines to treat MDR-TB. The researchers emphasize that the invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation, war and the displacement of a substantial proportion of the population of Ukraine, it is likely that severe constraints on diagnostic capacities and clinical care of TB patients will occur. They highlight therefore the need for strong international support for the national TB Program of Ukraine.
Referenz:
D. Butov, Y. Feshchenko, D. Chesov, V. Myasoedov, M. Kuzhko, A. Dudnyk, M. Reimann, L. Hryshchuk, A. Yareshko, A. Tkachenko, Y. Tarleeva, O. Konstantynovska, T. Butova, C. Lange. National survey on the impact of the war in Ukraine on TB diagnostics and treatment services in 2022. Int J Tubercul Lung Dis 2022.
Contact
Prof. Dr. Dmytro Butov PhD
Klinische Infektiologie
Forschungszentrum Borstel
Parkallee 35
23845 Borstel
T +49 4537 / 188-0