Details:

Alternative Title:
Bull World Health Organ
Personal Author:
Verani, Andre R ; Emerson, Courtney N ; Lederer, Philip ; Lipke, Ginny ; Kapata, Nathan ; ... More +
Verani, Andre R ; Emerson, Courtney N ; Lederer, Philip ; Lipke, Ginny ; Kapata, Nathan ; Lanje, Samson ; Peters, Annatjie C ; Zulu, Isaac ; Marston, Barbara J ; Miller, Bess Less -
Description:
Objective

To determine whether laws and regulations in Botswana, South Africa and Zambia – three countries with a high tuberculosis and HIV infection burden – address elements of the World Health Organization (WHO) policy on tuberculosis infection control.

Methods

An online desk review of laws and regulations that address six selected elements of the WHO policy on tuberculosis infection control in the three countries was conducted in November 2015 using publicly available domestic legal databases. The six elements covered: (i) national policy and legal framework; (ii) health facility design, construction and use; (iii) tuberculosis disease surveillance among health workers; (iv) patients’ and health workers’ rights; (v) monitoring of infection control measures; and (vi) relevant research.

Findings

The six elements were found to be adequately addressed in the three countries’ laws and regulations. In all three, tuberculosis case-reporting is required, as is tuberculosis surveillance among health workers. Each country’s legal and regulatory framework also addresses the need to respect individuals’ rights and privacy while safeguarding public health. These laws and regulations create a strong foundation for tuberculosis infection control. Although the legal and regulatory frameworks thoroughly address tuberculosis infection control, their dissemination, implementation and enforcement were not assessed, nor was their impact on public health.

Conclusion

Laws and regulations in Botswana, South Africa and Zambia address all six selected elements of the WHO policy on tuberculosis infection control. However, the lack of data on their implementation is a limitation. Future research should assess the implementation and public health impact of laws and regulations.


Subjects:
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Research
Source:
Bull World Health Organ. 2016; 94(6):415-423.
Pubmed ID:
27274593
Pubmed Central ID:
PMC4890205
Document Type:
Journal Article
Collection(s):
CDC Public Access Stephen B. Thacker CDC Library collection
Main Document Checksum:
[+]
urn:sha256:bc4b1af051afaadb3471e1ad918ef306d1cb356a732b1002dc85fac6d1077dde
Download URL:
https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/39877/cdc_39877_DS1.pdf
File Type:

Supporting Files

• BLT.15.156927.nxml

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