Although it’s one of the world’s most infectious diseases, for people living in Western countries, tuberculosis (TB) isn’t commonly encountered. In Timor-Leste, however, where tuberculosis is estimated to affect 508 per 100,000 inhabitants of the country, TB is a heavy and dangerous burden. Timor-Leste is among the top 10 highest incidence rates in the world, with infections also driven by issues of malnutrition. With a continuous rise in TB cases after COVID-19, this deadly disease remains a crucial area of focus for our work in Timor-Leste.
Our ongoing commitment to build quality healthcare throughout Timor-Leste sees us fighting TB with the 3 Ts: Tracing, Triage, and Training. Day by day, this three-pronged approach is making a difference in the lives of Timor-Leste people at risk of contracting this otherwise deadly and debilitating disease.
What is TB, and why is it such a significant risk in Timor-Leste?
In developed nations, TB is all but eradicated.
It’s a different story in Timor-Leste, which has the 7th highest rate of TB in the world. Affecting the lungs and spreading to other parts of the system, including the central nervous system, bones, joints, brain, liver, kidney, and blood, TB can be life-threatening for vulnerable individuals. It’s particularly risky for children under the age of 5, the elderly, people living with HIV, and those with immune-compromised health conditions, who are at a higher risk of contracting the disease and often less equipped to fight off its impact.
For many people living in Timor-Lester, receiving a TB diagnosis can be incredibly challenging, both as a result of a strong social stigma associated with the disease and also the challenge of limited medical resources. There’s a strong fear that exists around TB, with many believing it will lead to death or a heavily debilitating illness. Treatment can also be prohibitively expensive, which can keep residents from seeking a diagnosis in the first place.
How the 3 Ts are crucial in the fight against TB
At Maluk Timor, the fight against TB in Timor-Leste is a crucial part of our commitment to advancing quality and accessible healthcare across the nation.
We’ve been working hard over many years in partnership with the Timorese Ministry of Health to implement the 3 Ts that can effectively fight against TB: Tracing, Triage, and Training.
This work involves:
Tracing
- TB Tracing and Referral – we carry out the integral work of screening family and household contacts of TB patients in order to identify cases and refer confirmed cases for TB-specific antibiotic treatment schedules. We also work in collaboration with laboratories on the ground, screening samples with expert testing to identify Multi-Drug Resistant TB, enabling us to pinpoint which cases require specialised care.
Triage
- Cough Triage Training – by teaching our team of nurses to identify and screen patients who present to hospital with chest symptoms, we’re empowering on-the-ground healthcare workers with the screening tools they need to identify TB. These healthcare workers have also been trained to separate patients at risk of having an airborne infectious disease, minimising the risk of further spread through the use of isolation and personal protective equipment.
Training
- TB education and counselling – sadly, many Timor-Leste residents are impacted by shame when it comes to seeking a TB diagnosis. That’s why we’re also focused on providing crucial education and counselling, helping families and household contacts to understand what TB is, how to treat it, and how to prevent its spread.
- Systems improvement – by working in collaboration with the Timor-Leste Ministry of Health, we continue to look for new ways to improve the management of TB in the country’s healthcare system. A key element of ongoing systems improvement has been the introduction of a referral feedback mechanism, ensuring patients are able to receive a higher quality of care when their case moves between healthcare providers in different locations.
The impact of the 3 Ts
Our fight to end TB in Timor-Leste is far from won, but the results of our 3 Ts system continue to speak for themselves. In 2023, we were able to screen 77,908 people for TB, as well as training 95 healthcare professionals in the area of TB control.
We’ve also collected and tested hundreds of patient samples for MDR-TB and created both cough corners and enhanced referral systems in all 6 of Timor-Leste’s public hospitals. By continuing to expand our tracing, triage, and training programs, we can see even more of Timor-Leste’s people protected against the debilitating – and potentially deadly – impact of TB.
Our supporters around the world play a huge role in reducing the impact of this preventable and treatable disease. Every contribution makes a difference to people’s lives in the fight against TB. This Christmas, you’re invited to join us in building strong, sustainable healthcare in Timor-Leste, supporting this country’s abilities to build a safe, hope-filled future.