USAID Equipment helps to save Lives

Treatment outcomes for patients with multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB), and prevention of its transmission depend on timely and reliable test results. In July 2014, USAID transferred four GeneXpert machines worth $271,000 to facilities in four regions of Uzbekistan.  The equipment is capable of identifying TB and multi-drug resistant TB in less than two hours, allowing patients to begin their treatment on the same day.  Earlier, TB testing took up to three months, resulting in initial treatment protocols, which did not account for MDR-TB.  A year later reports from the target regions have shown a 342% increase in the number of people tested, resulting in a decrease of TB patients “missed” by the Uzbek health system. With a 55% treatment success rate for MDR-TB cases, now 370 patients will be cured, saving lives and preventing the spread of TB. USAID’s continued commitment in support of the Government of Uzbekistan’s efforts to reduce the burden of tuberculosis has resulted in improved tuberculosis control, reduced morbidity and mortality, and a decrease in tuberculosis cases and deaths compared to a decade ago.