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Journal Article
|Research

Accessibility of diagnostic and treatment centres for visceral leishmaniasis in Gedaref State, northern Sudan

Gerstl S, Amsalu R, Ritmeijer KKD
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Accessibility of diagnostic and treatment centres for visceral leishmaniasis in Gedaref State, northern Sudan | Journal Article / Research | MSF Science Portal
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the accessibility of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) treatment. METHOD: Community-based study using in-depth qualitative interviews and focus group discussions with key informants, as well as quantitative questionnaires with 448 randomly selected heads of households in nine representative villages in three geographical sub-regions. RESULTS: Despite the high incidence of the disease, most people in Gedaref State know little about VL, and help at a treatment centre is usually sought only after traditional remedies and basic allopathic drugs have failed. Factors barring access to treatment are: lack of money for treatment and transport, impassability of roads, work priorities, severe cultural restrictions of women's decision-making power and distance to the next health center. CONCLUSIONS: To provide more VL patients with access to treatment in this highly endemic area, diagnostic and treatment services should be decentralized. Health education would be a useful tool to rationalise people's health-seeking behaviour.

Subject Area

diagnosticsleishmaniasis

Languages

English
DOI
10.1111/j.1365-3156.2005.01550.x
Published Date
01 Feb 2006
PubMed ID
16451340
Journal
Tropical Medicine and International Health
Volume | Issue | Pages
Volume 11, Issue 2
Issue Date
2006-02-01
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