Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The number of Tuberculosis patients diagnosed with type 2 Diabetes is one the increase.
According to the Ministry of Health, Diabetes Mellitus also referred to as Type 2 diabetes, is on the rise, with numbers surpassing HIV and TB infection rates.
A study carried out in Sub-Saharan Africa shows that at least 10 percent of TB patients have diabetes than 8.9 percent with HIV.
Dr Frank Mugabe, the assistant commissioner of Non-Communicable Diseases at the ministry of health attributes the rise to an increase in the number of people getting infected with TB.
According to the ministry, 81,000 new infections of TB are recorded annually. A 2017 study carried out at Kampala Capital City Authority-KCCA clinics around Kampala showed that the number of TB patients who also had diabetes at their outpatient clinics stood at 2.3 percent.
According to another study, in admitted patients, the number of patients suffering from both conditions stood at 8.5 percent.
The World Health Organisation notes that the dual epidemic of diabetes and TB is a deadly one with each condition leading to the other. Data from WHO show that while TB can lead to glucose intolerance, diabetes can lead to TB. 15 percent of all TB cases can be linked to diabetes which weakens the immune system of a person making them perceptible to other infections such as TB. Also, persons who suffer from diabetes and TB are three times more likely to get a TB relapse even after they have completed treatment.
Dr Mugabe says there’s need to set up dual management clinics to ensure that patients who have diabetes can be tested for TB regularly.
“We need inter-sectorial management. Right now, when someone goes to a TB clinic, they only get TB related services. Maybe we need to find a way where patients who have TB or diabetes can go to a clinic and get treatment for both at the same time. This will help with the management of the conditions,” he explains.
According to doctors, if patients suffering from both the conditions do not get treatment, they could die.
Dr Susan Nakireka, a doctor at the Non-Communicable Diseases Clinic at Mengo hospital says that many patients do not even know they suffer from both conditions.
“Many of the patients know they either have TB or diabetes. Few of them know they have both conditions. This is dangerous because if untreated, both diseases can lead to death,” she says.
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