Healthcare workers hit by TB infections

ILENI NANDJATO

Exposure to infectious patients has resulted in many healthcare workers contracting tuberculosis (TB) in the line of duty at a northern hospital.

The ministry of health has indicated that it is aware of the large number of healthcare workers infected with TB at the Engela State Hospital in the Ohangwena Region.

Ohangwena is one of the hardest hit areas when it comes to TB cases.

Health permanent secretary Andreas Mwoombola confirmed that TB-infected staff had been moved from the hospital’s TB ward, without providing any figures or further detail.

“The ministry is aware of cases where health workers have been infected with TB while working in the TB ward at Engela State Hospital.

“Since then health workers with medical conditions that reduce their immunity have not been assigned to work in the TB ward and the usage of masks in the ward by patients, health workers and visitors has been reinforced,” Mwoombola said.

An insider at the hospital said health workers were refusing to work in the TB ward because of a high number of infections in recent months.

According to the source, the situation became risky after the hospital started admitting patients with drug-resistant tuberculosis.

“The problem started when many nurses from the TB ward started being diagnosed with TB. Other nurses refused to work there and the ministry started sending junior nurses,” the source said.

The source added that drug-resistant tuberculosis was very dangerous and treatment could take up to two years. The risk of contracting TB is highest for people who are in close contact with patients.

“Nurses working in the TB ward feel that they are at risk of contracting this strain of TB from patients. Nurses can get TB by breathing in droplets from a cough or sneeze of an infected person, which is very common in the ward. Even if it is the first time you are infected with TB, it will not start as ordinary TB, but will be the drug-resistant form from the start,” the source said.