The Role Of Public Health Workers In Tuberculosis Management And Prevention

This study investigates the role of public health workers in tuberculosis management and prevention. Two hundred and twenty nine(229) randomly selected (stratification) health workers were administered a 54-item questionnaire.

The questionnaire comprised sections designed to provide relevant information of concern to the study such as knowledge of Tuberculosis infection prevention and control, practices and challenges. Results showed that health workers had fairly good knowledge of Tuberculosis infection prevention and control.

This was significantly influenced by participants’ sex, current ward of work and job title but not age and number of years of work. Practices used by the health workers were generally good and appropriate especially regular hand washing hygiene, education of Tuberculosis patients and use of information, education and communication materials.

What was lacking was wearing of a N95(Non oil close fitted mask with 95% filter efficiency that protects from inhaling infectious droplet nuclei) and FFP2 (an oil and non oil aerosol mask or respirator with 94% filter efficiency that protects from inhaling infectious droplet nuclei) when working in high risk Tuberculosis areas, offering of surgical mask to Tuberculosis suspects or cases when they are in the hospital and separation of group suspected or confirmed Tuberculosis patients from other patients. Identified challenges included inadequate education/training programmes for health workers about Tuberculosis infection, prevention and control, improper ventilation due to overcrowding at the out patients department, lack of protective equipment (FFP2 or N95 masks, gloves), non availability of Tuberculosis wards for infected patients, stigmatization of staff working on Tuberculosis patients and poor resourced laboratory for Tuberculosis testing. It was concluded that health workers need to improve their knowledge on Tuberculosis infection prevention control whilst stakeholders institute measures geared to wards improvement of facility and logistic deficit.?