Policy analysis: Key milestones in MDR-TB management over the past decade in South Africa

Background: Significant strides have been made globally and in South Africa (SA) in the policy and biomedical management of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). However, MDR-TB remains a significant public health threat. Aim: This policy content analysis aims to explore the key milestones in...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Lee-Ann C. Davids, Talitha Crowley
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: AOSIS 2024-12-01
Series:Journal of Public Health in Africa
Subjects:
Online Access:https://publichealthinafrica.org/index.php/jphia/article/view/703
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850039718552535040
author Lee-Ann C. Davids
Talitha Crowley
author_facet Lee-Ann C. Davids
Talitha Crowley
author_sort Lee-Ann C. Davids
collection DOAJ
description Background: Significant strides have been made globally and in South Africa (SA) in the policy and biomedical management of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). However, MDR-TB remains a significant public health threat. Aim: This policy content analysis aims to explore the key milestones in MDR-TB management in SA and globally over the last decade, 2013–2023, to identify gaps and opportunities for improvement. Setting: This review focussed on global and South African national MDR-TB policies since SA is on all three World Health Organization (WHO) watch lists for TB, TB/HIV and MDR-TB, despite its significant contributions to policy. Method: A policy review and content analysis were conducted of all publicly available SA and WHO drug-resistant TB policies developed between 2013 and 2023. Results: Key changes identified were in the areas of new drug development and regimens, care delivery settings, task shifting and, terminology used in the field of drug-resistant TB. Changes in the biomedical sphere predominated in both SA and WHO policies. Conclusion: Important biomedical interventions have offered renewed hope for the SA MDR-TB programme. This review highlights that policy translation and implementation in non-biomedical interventions have been slow, sometimes lagging up to 10 years behind an intervention being recommended. This article recommends equal weight be placed on non-biomedical interventions and that these policy translations occur at a more rapid speed to positively impact the dire public health consequences of MDR-TB. Contribution: Insights offered through this policy review may contribute to policy development, translation and implementation towards improving MDR-TB outcomes in SA.
format Article
id doaj-art-2ae37ca5758d4435ae82fc8ca8c89343
institution DOAJ
issn 2038-9922
2038-9930
language English
publishDate 2024-12-01
publisher AOSIS
record_format Article
series Journal of Public Health in Africa
spelling doaj-art-2ae37ca5758d4435ae82fc8ca8c893432025-08-20T02:56:15ZengAOSISJournal of Public Health in Africa2038-99222038-99302024-12-01151e1e1110.4102/jphia.v15i1.703775Policy analysis: Key milestones in MDR-TB management over the past decade in South AfricaLee-Ann C. Davids0Talitha Crowley1Office of AIDS and TB Research, South African Medical Research Council, Cape TownSchool of Nursing, Faculty of Community and Health Sciences, University of the Western Cape, Cape TownBackground: Significant strides have been made globally and in South Africa (SA) in the policy and biomedical management of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). However, MDR-TB remains a significant public health threat. Aim: This policy content analysis aims to explore the key milestones in MDR-TB management in SA and globally over the last decade, 2013–2023, to identify gaps and opportunities for improvement. Setting: This review focussed on global and South African national MDR-TB policies since SA is on all three World Health Organization (WHO) watch lists for TB, TB/HIV and MDR-TB, despite its significant contributions to policy. Method: A policy review and content analysis were conducted of all publicly available SA and WHO drug-resistant TB policies developed between 2013 and 2023. Results: Key changes identified were in the areas of new drug development and regimens, care delivery settings, task shifting and, terminology used in the field of drug-resistant TB. Changes in the biomedical sphere predominated in both SA and WHO policies. Conclusion: Important biomedical interventions have offered renewed hope for the SA MDR-TB programme. This review highlights that policy translation and implementation in non-biomedical interventions have been slow, sometimes lagging up to 10 years behind an intervention being recommended. This article recommends equal weight be placed on non-biomedical interventions and that these policy translations occur at a more rapid speed to positively impact the dire public health consequences of MDR-TB. Contribution: Insights offered through this policy review may contribute to policy development, translation and implementation towards improving MDR-TB outcomes in SA.https://publichealthinafrica.org/index.php/jphia/article/view/703drug-resistant tuberculosismanagementmilestonesmultidrug-resistant tuberculosispolicy content analysispolicy reviewrifampicin-resistant tuberculosissouth african national department of healthtuberculosisworld health organization
spellingShingle Lee-Ann C. Davids
Talitha Crowley
Policy analysis: Key milestones in MDR-TB management over the past decade in South Africa
Journal of Public Health in Africa
drug-resistant tuberculosis
management
milestones
multidrug-resistant tuberculosis
policy content analysis
policy review
rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis
south african national department of health
tuberculosis
world health organization
title Policy analysis: Key milestones in MDR-TB management over the past decade in South Africa
title_full Policy analysis: Key milestones in MDR-TB management over the past decade in South Africa
title_fullStr Policy analysis: Key milestones in MDR-TB management over the past decade in South Africa
title_full_unstemmed Policy analysis: Key milestones in MDR-TB management over the past decade in South Africa
title_short Policy analysis: Key milestones in MDR-TB management over the past decade in South Africa
title_sort policy analysis key milestones in mdr tb management over the past decade in south africa
topic drug-resistant tuberculosis
management
milestones
multidrug-resistant tuberculosis
policy content analysis
policy review
rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis
south african national department of health
tuberculosis
world health organization
url https://publichealthinafrica.org/index.php/jphia/article/view/703
work_keys_str_mv AT leeanncdavids policyanalysiskeymilestonesinmdrtbmanagementoverthepastdecadeinsouthafrica
AT talithacrowley policyanalysiskeymilestonesinmdrtbmanagementoverthepastdecadeinsouthafrica