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Introduction: Typhoid fever is a public-health problem in Harare, the capital city of Zimbabwe, with seasonal outbreaks occurring annually since 2010. In 2019, the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MOHCC) organized the first typhoid conjugate vaccination campaign in Africa in response to a recurring typhoid outbreak in a large urban setting. Method: As part of a larger public health response to a typhoid fever outbreak in Harare, Gavi approved in September 2018 a MOHCC request for 340,000 doses of recently prequalified Typbar-TCV to implement a mass vaccination campaign. To select areas for the campaign, typhoid fever surveillance data from January 2016 until June 2018 was reviewed. We collected and analyzed information from the MOHCC and its partners to describe the vaccination campaign planning, implementation, feasibility, administrative coverage and financial costs. Results: The campaign was conducted in nine high-density suburbs of Harare over eight days in February-March 2019 and targeted all children aged 6 months-15 years; however, the target age range was extended up to 45 years in one suburb due to the past high attack rate among adults. A total of 318,698 people were vaccinated, resulting in overall administrative coverage of 85.4 percent. More than 750 community volunteers and personnel from the MOHCC and the Ministry of Education were trained and involved in social mobilization and vaccination activities. The MOHCC used a combination of vaccination strategies (i.e., fixed and mobile immunization sites, a creche and school-based strategy, and door-to-door activities). Financial costs were estimated at US$ 2.39 per dose, including the vaccine and vaccination supplies (US$ 0.79 operational costs per dose excluding vaccine and vaccination supplies). Conclusion: A mass targeted campaign in densely populated urban areas in Harare, using the recently prequalified typhoid conjugate vaccine, was feasible and achieved a high overall coverage in a short period of time.
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SETTING: In Zimbabwe, there are concerns about the management of tuberculosis (TB) patients with rifampicin (RMP) resistance diagnosed using Xpert(®) MTB/RIF. OBJECTIVE: To assess linkages between diagnosis and treatment for these patients in Harare and Manicaland provinces in 2014. DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study. RESULTS: Of 20 329 Xpert assays conducted, 90% were successful, 11% detected Mycobacterium tuberculosis and 4.5% showed RMP resistance. Of 77 patients with RMP-resistant TB diagnosed by Xpert, 70% had samples sent to the reference laboratory for culture and drug susceptibility testing (CDST); 53% of the samples arrived. In 21% the samples showed M. tuberculosis growth, and in 17% the DST results were recorded, all of which confirmed RMP resistance. Of the 77 patients, 34 (44%) never started treatment for multidrug-resistant (MDR) TB, with documented reasons being death, loss to follow-up and incorrect treatment. Of the 43 patients who started MDR-TB treatment, 12 (71%) in Harare and 17 (65%) in Manicaland started within 2 weeks of diagnosis. CONCLUSION: Xpert has been rolled out successfully in two Zimbabwe provinces. However, the process of confirming CDST for Xpert-diagnosed RMP-resistant TB works poorly, and many patients are either delayed or never initiate MDR-TB treatment. These shortfalls must be addressed at the programmatic level.
Contexte : Au Zimbabwe, la prise en charge des patients tuberculeux ayant une résistance à la rifampicine (RMP) diagnostiqués par Xpert® MTB/RIF est préoccupante.Objectif : Evaluer les liens entre le diagnostic et le traitement de ces patients dans les provinces de Harare et de Manicaland en 2014.Schéma : Etude rétrospective de cohorte.Résultats : Sur 20 329 tests Xpert, 90% ont été réussis, 11% ont détecté Mycobacterium tuberculosis et 4,5% ont mis en évidence une résistance à la RMP. Il y a eu 77 patients atteints d'une tuberculose (TB) résistante à la RMP diagnostiqués par Xpert. Parmi eux, 70% ont bénéficié d'un envoi d'échantillon au laboratoire de référence pour une culture et un test de pharmacosensibilité (CDST) ; pour 53% d'entre eux, les échantillons sont arrivés à bon port ; pour 21%, les échantillons ont mis en évidence une croissance de M. tuberculosis ; et chez 17%, les résultats du CDST ont été enregistrés et tous ont confirmé la résistance à la RMP. Sur 77 patients, 34 (44%) n'ont jamais mis en route un traitement pour le TB multirésistante (TB-MDR) ; les motifs documentés étaient le décès, la perte de vue ou un traitement incorrect. Des 43 patients qui ont débuté le traitement de TB-MDR, 12 (71%) à Harare et 17 (65%) au Manicaland ont commencé dans les 2 semaines suivant le diagnostic.Conclusion : L'Xpert a été lancé avec succès dans deux provinces du Zimbabwe. Cependant, le processus de confirmation du CDST pour une TB résistante à la RMP diagnostiquée par Xpert ne fonctionne pas bien, et de nombreux patients sont soit traités avec retard, soit ne démarrent jamais le traitement de TB-MDR. Ces problèmes doivent être examinés par le programme.
Marco de referencia: En Zimbabwe, el tratamiento de los pacientes cuyo diagnóstico de tuberculosis (TB) resistante a la rifampicina (RMP) se determina mediante la prueba Xpert® MTB/RIF es fuente de inquietud.Objetivo: Evaluar los nexos entre el diagnóstico y el tratamiento de los pacientes diagnosticados mediante la prueba Xpert en las provincias de Harare y Manicaland en el 2014.Método: Fue este un estudio retrospectivo de cohortes.Resultados: Se obtuvieron resultados satisfactorios en el 90% de las 20 329 pruebas Xpert realizadas; se detectó Mycobacterium tuberculosis en el 11% y el 4,5% reveló resistencia a RMP. Con la prueba Xpert se diagnosticaron 77 casos de TB resistente a RMP y se enviaron muestras del 70% de estos casos al laboratorio de referencia, con el fin de practicar el cultivo y las pruebas se sensibilidad (CDST) a los medicamentos antituberculosos. El 53% de estas muestras llegaron al laboratorio, en un 21% se obtuvo crecimiento de M. tuberculosis y en el 17% de los casos existía un registro de los resultados de la CDST; todos los resultados confirmaron la resistencia a RMP. De los 77 pacientes, 34 nunca comenzaron el tratamiento contra la TB multidrogorresistente (TB-MDR) (44%); las causas documentadas fueron el fallecimiento, la pérdida durante el seguimiento y un tratamiento inadecuado. De los 43 pacientes que iniciaron el tratamiento por TB-MDR, 12 casos en Harare (71%) y 17 casos en Manicaland (65%) lo comenzaron en las 2 primeras semanas después del diagnóstico.Conclusión: El despliegue de la prueba Xpert en dos provincias de Zimbabwe fue satisfactorio. Sin embargo, el mecanismo de confirmación de la resistencia a RMP mediante el CDST en los casos diagnosticados por la prueba Xpert fue deficiente y en muchos pacientes se retrasó el tratamiento de la TB-MDR o nunca se comenzó. Es preciso abordar estas deficiencias en el marco programático.
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OBJECTIVE: Two suspected cholera cases at Beatrice Road Infectious Diseases Hospital were reported to Harare City Health Department on 14 October 2008 setting in motion investigation and control measures. We determined the extent of the epidemic and risk factors for contracting cholera. METHODS: An unmatched 1:1 case-control study was conducted. CASE: Any resident of Harare City, 2 years and above, with acute watery diarrhoea, with or without vomiting from 30 October 2008 to 01 December 2008. CONTROL: Any resident of Harare City, 2 years and above, neighbour to a case, who did not contract cholera during the same period. RESULTS: From 14 October 2008 to 21 January 2009, 11203 cases were reported with a case fatality rate (CFR) of 3.98%. We interviewed 140 cases and 140 controls. Median age was 28 years (Q1 = 20; Q3 = 37.5) and 28.5 years (Q1 = 23; Q3 = 38) for cases and controls respectively. Having a diarrhoea contact at home [AOR = 12.02; 95% CI (5.46 - 26.44)], having attained less than secondary education [AOR = 4.40; 95% CI (2.28 - 8.48)]; eating cold food [AOR = 4.24; 95% CI (1.53 - 11.70)] were independent risk factors while drinking tap water [AOR = 0.05; 95% CI (0.03 - 0.11)], washing hands after using toilet [AOR = 0.19; 95% CI (0.09 - 0.39)]; eating hot food always [AOR= 0.29; 95% CI (0.17 - 0.49)] were independently protective factors. DISCUSSION: The high CFR may be due to poor case management and staff shortage in treatment camps. Th e cholera outbreak in Harare resulted from poor personal and hygiene practices that occur when water supplies are cut. Lack of water, low knowledge on cholera prevention measures and delays in community health education campaigns contributed to the protracted outbreak. Having a diarrhoea contact at home increases chances of household members acquiring infection. Provision of safe drinking water, community health education, recruitment of staff and training of health workers on cholera case management must be prioritized.