Tugela Ferry’s extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis – 10 years on

Abstract

For 3 stormy years from the time Tugela Ferry’s doctors first uncovered what turned out to be an alarming countrywide extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) prevalence (2005 - 2007), they diagnosed 110 new XDR-TB cases per year. Yet by implementing a combination of interventions with a remarkable team, the tap was turned down to less than 10 cases in 2012, making the Church of Scotland Hospital an international beacon of best practice. Izindaba returned there after 6 years to find out how they are helping to quell the general TB epidemic itself.