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020			_a Phone: +255 28 298 3384
020			_a Fax: +255 28 298 3386
020			_a Email: vc@bugando.ac.tz
020			_a Website: www.bugando.ac.tz
040			_cDLC
041			_aEnglish
100			_aHumphrey Deogratias Mazigo _922617
222			_aKeywords Primary health care system Capacity gaps Schistosomiasis Schistosoma haematobium Schistosoma mansoni Tanzania
245			_aPrimary health care facilities capacity gaps regarding diagnosis, treatment and knowledge of schistosomiasis among healthcare workers in North-western Tanzania _ba call to strengthen the horizontal system
260			_aMwanza: _b BioMed Central & _b Tanzania Catholic University of Health and Allied Sciences [CUHAS – Bugando] _c30 May 2021
300			_aPages 1-9
490			_v BMC health services research Volume 21 Issue 1
520			_aAbstract Background:The World Health Organization (WHO) calls for schistosomiasis endemic countries to integrate schistosomiasis control measures into the primary health care (PHC) services; however, in Tanzania, little is known about the capacity of the primary health care system to assume this role. The objective of this study was to assess the capacity of the primary health care system to diagnose and treat schistosomiasis in endemic regions of north-western Tanzania. Methods: A total of 80 randomly-selected primary health care facilities located in the Uyui, Geita and Ukerewe districts of North-western Tanzania participated in the study. At each facility, the in-charge clinician, or any other healthcare worker appointed by the in-charge clinician, participated in the questionnaire survey. A quantitative questionnaire installed in a Data Tool Kit software was used to collect data. Healthcare workers working at various stations (laboratory, pharmacy, data clerks, outpatient section) were interviewed. The questionnaire collected information related to healthcare workers’ knowledge about urogenital and intestinal schistosomiasis symptoms, human and material resources, laboratory services, data capture, and anti-schistosomiasis treatment availability. Results: A total of 80 healthcare workers were interviewed. Bloody stool (78.3 %) and haematuria (98.7 %) were the most common symptoms of intestinal and urogenital schistosomiasis mentioned by healthcare workers. Knowledge on the chronic symptoms such as hepatosplenomegaly and hematemesis for intestinal schistosomiasis, and oliguria and dysuria for urogenital schistosomiasis, were inadequate. Laboratory services were only available in 33.8 % (27/80) of the health facilities and direct wet preparation was the most common diagnostic technique used for both urine and stool samples. All healthcare workers knew that praziquantel was the drug of choice for the treatment of schistosomiasis and the drug was available in 91.3 % (73/80) of the health facilities. Conclusions:The capacity of the primary health care facilities included in the current study is inadequate in terms of diagnosis, treatment, reporting and healthcare workers’ knowledge of schistosomiasis. Thus, the integration of schistosomiasis control activities into the primary healthcare system requires these gaps to be addressed.
700			_a Cecilia Uisso _945088
700			_aPaul Kazyoba _945089
700			_aUpendo J Mwingira _945091
856			_uhttps://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-021-06531-z
942			_2ddc _cVM
999			_c19317 _d19317