Position statement of SAHCS on service delivery to TB patients (drug-susceptible and drug-resistant) during the COVID-19 pandemic 28 Mar 2020
Contributors: T Boyles, F Conradie, V Cox, A Grimsrud, J Hughes, J Nel, A Reuter, L Wilkinson
To support TB patients during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is critical both to patients and the healthcare system to minimise visits to health facilities. This document outlines key adaptations to the TB care service delivery that should be considered to reduce health facility visits during the COVID-19 pandemic. This guidance prioritises how to provide uninterrupted TB treatment in resource constrained health systems with a high burden of TB. In addition to outlining recommended service delivery approaches for drug-susceptible (DS-TB) and drug-resistant TB (DR-TB) patients, guidance on additional areas (including patient support, contact tracing, provision of the influenza vaccine, differentiating TB from COVID-19 and telephonic monitoring) is provided.