Ninehealth facilities across the province have been equipped with Gene Xpert machines, new technology that helps with quick diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB).

The nine hospitals are Mahikeng, Ganyesa, Tshepong, Job Shimankane Tabane, Nic Bodenstein, Taung, Joe Morolong and Potchefstroom.

The Gene Xpert machine is a new technology used to test for TB and it can detect if a person is infected with the disease within two hours.

It can also detect if the TB bacterium of the person has resistance to one of the common TB drugs and is expected to go a long way in fighting the disease in the province.

Provincial health department spokesperson, Tebogo Lekgethwane, said the Gene Xpert had already been tested in facilities in the Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng in 2010.

“This is a great development in the fight against TB as the technological development now makes it possible for quick results turnaround, meaning patients who come out positive can be immediately put on treatment.

“With the use of new technology more people are now being diagnosed with TB,” he said.

Between 2009 and 2011, North West province recorded 300 to 380 cases of Extreme Drug Resistance (XDR) TB, a strain of the disease that is most difficult to cure.

Lekgethwane said the new cases far exceeded bed capacity of 76 beds at Klerksdorp Tshepong Hospital Complex’s multi-drug resistant (MDR) TB Unit but the new technology would help mitigate on this challenge.

“The department readies itself to roll-out the implementation of the Gene Xpert in all hospitals.

“There are also efforts to decentralise the MDR TB treatment to other hospitals. Taung, Gelukspan and Koster hospitals were identified to offer MDR TB services and Taung has already registered noteworthy achievements after two patients were certified to have been completely cured from MDR TB,” Lekgethwane said.

He added that the province had about 96 MDR in-patients with 20 being attended to at the Taung hospital.

“MDR cure rate in the province currently stands at 55%. Three primary healthcare facilities have been identified in Moretele, Madibeng and Maquassi Hills sub districts in Bojanala and Dr Kenneth Kaunda districts respectively for community MDR decentralisation.

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