High compliance in an ambulatory tuberculosis treatment programme in a rural community of Uganda

The increasing numbers of clinical tuberculosis in Uganda, mainly due to th e human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic, means that it is no longer p ossible to hospitalise all TB patients, and the feasibility of ambulatory t reatment needs to be assessed. A successful ambulatory TB treatment program me has been implemented in Rakai district. An annual cohort analysis for th e period 1992-1996 showed that high completion rates were achieved. Of a to tal of 1659 TB patients, 92% of those surviving completed the prescribed tr eatment. Reasons for this high completion rate included: treating patients at one health unit, treating patients near their homes, training and superv ision of health workers, and progressive use of short-course chemotherapy.