TABLE.
Barriers encountered during the implementation of the rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis active case finding strategy along with possible solutions to overcome barriers
| Number | Barriers | Involved sector | Possible solutions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Misperceptions by healthcare workers and guardians regarding household exposure risk in older children |
|
Health promotion initiatives and sensitisation of the community and medical staff focusing on the risk of TB among this age group |
| 2 | Multiple research and implementation stakeholders in the programme setting, leading to difficult engagement and poor buy-in of healthcare facilities |
|
Collaboration among stakeholders in order to streamline activities |
| 3 | Additional workload for an already overburdened healthcare system |
|
Afterhours and/or weekend mobile TB screening clinics for contacts aged 6–18 years |
| Community healthcare workers to do follow-up screenings in the contact's household | |||
| 4 | Potential exposure of healthy children to sick individuals in the healthcare facilities |
|
Afterhours and/or weekend mobile TB screening clinics for contacts aged 6–18 years |
| 5 | Logistical issues faced by families in navigating screening and diagnostic pathways |
|
Community healthcare workers to do follow-up screenings in the contact's household |
| 6 | Children and guardians obliged to miss school and work in order to attend the healthcare facility for TB screening |
|
Afterhours and/or weekend mobile TB screening clinics for contacts aged 6–18 years |
| School-based TB screening initiatives | |||
| Strengthening links between the Departments of Health and Education to promote school-based TB screening | |||
| 7 | Insufficient human and financial resources to successfully implement the pilot programme |
|
Advocate for and secure necessary personnel, equipment and funding for programme implementation |
| Ensure that the model of service delivery is feasible with the given resources |