Armenia – Easing treatment for patients with multi-resistant tuberculosis (ENG)

Treatment for patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis is arduous from all points of view.
In an attempt to make their daily lives easier, the team has been trying new methods of patient support.

MSF195589

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Armenia – Easing treatment for patients with multi-resistant tuberculosis (INT)

Arménie – Tuberculose multi-résistante, le défi de la simplification des soins (FR)

Subt. French

Armenia – Easing treatment for patients with multi-resistant tuberculosis (DE)

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Unique Identifier Code / URN MSF195589

Date taken / Date Recorded 19/05/2017 12:00 AM

Country Armenia

Commissioning section MSF-FRANCE

Photographer / videographer / producer Simon Rolin

Usage Rights (MSF) Advertising Campaign, External Media, MSF Fundraising, MSF Publications, Social Media

Formal Consent Copy available no

Editor's rating ★★★★★ (C)

Video format h264 (Main) (avc1 / 0x31637661)

Duration 2m21s

Maximum Size 1920px × 1080px 241.51 MB

Additional Information / Shotlist ARMENIA
Treatment for patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis is arduous from all points of view.
In an attempt to make their daily lives easier, the team has been trying new methods of patient support.
Yuri has come to the health centre in Ghukasavan this morning to take his drugs under a nurse’s supervision. She makes sure he takes his medication properly and asks about any side effects . This support is an essential part of treating multidrug resistant tuberculosis.
The side effects of treatment are extremely unpleasant, but patients who adhere to the treatment protocol increase their chances of recovery

Organising this daily ritual of care is demanding in terms of setup, just as it is for patients who often live far from the clinic. For patients on Delamanid, there is an additional challenge that the drug must be taken in two daily doses at10-hour intervals, and health centres are closed at night.

Nurse (in English), Ministry of Health nurse.
He takes the morning dose of drugs here in my presence, the evening dose he takes at home while he is connected to the doctors by a special phone he has.

During the evening, a nurse calls Yuri via Skype.

Nurse: Are you ready to take the drugs?
Patient: Yes. Can I start ?
Patient: Ready? I’m going to take my drugs

Using video to observe treatment was launched in Armenia a year ago. In 2016, 28 patients used this technique. It reduces at least some of the burden, as much for patients as for health workers.

Dr HAKOB ATSHEMYAN, MSF (in English)
One nurse can do DOT for many patients without coming out of the cabinet. This is comfortable for the patients too. Because it does not limit the patients movement. The patient is not obliged to be on a definite place at a definite time.

(on-screen text: DOT: Directly Observed Treatment)

Using video to observe treatment is one of the strategies MSF has introduced to improve treatment for the most resistant forms of tuberculosis. Helping relieve patients’ pain, alleviating the burden of treatment by providing care in the home are just some of the ways of giving patients some hope of recovery.