COOPERATION OF SPECIALISTS FROM UNIVERSITY AND SCIENTISTS FROM THE USA WITHIN RESEARCH ON THE MOST COMPLEX ISSUES OF TUBERCULOSIS

06.04.2018

The group of researchers from Brown and Boston Universities (USA) was in Ukraine on 2-5, April, 2018. Such visits have already became traditional, the necessary part of cooperation within implementation of two grants for research of the most complex and indefinite issues of tuberculosis in Ukraine. The specialists from department of phthisiology and pulmonology at the head of professor Vasyl Petrenko, and department of pathological anatomy No 2 at the head of professor Serhii Hychka were engaged into work on Ukrainian part. This time the group included Dr. Natasha Rybak, assistant-researcher Rachel Padiia (Brown University), epidemiologist, Ph. D Helen Jenkins (Boston University) and doctor, Ph. D Wunmi Aibana, who works in Houston.

All guests have the significant experience in researches of tuberculosis in Ukraine. So, Dr. Natasha Rybak, doctor-infectiologist, who takes care of patients with HIV and tuberculosis, in particular, children, since 2012 she is engaged in researches of spread of both infections in Ukraine. The research by Dr. Helen Jenkins concerns the registration of tuberculosis at children. The mathematical modeling that was held by her testifies to the fact that the significant burden of tuberculosis and double infection of TB/HIV in Ukraine causes to much more sickness rate and death rate at children than it is officially registered. Wunmi Aibana and Rachel Padiia spent the long time in Ukraine, performed the research on reasons for low efficiency in treatment of tuberculosis.

The visiting program was saturated and included the visits of antituberculous hospitals, infectious department of children’s hospital OKHMATDYT, meetings with management of Center for Public Health at MHC of Ukraine, representatives of partners’ organizations that work in the sphere of control for tuberculosis and HIV infection. During each meeting they discussed the most complex issues of control for tuberculosis, and it was found out that the researches, planned by international group, are long expected in Ukraine. First of all, this relates to monitoring of contacts for patients with tuberculosis, study of reason for later detection of tuberculosis at children, molecular epidemiological researches.

At the end of the visit the guests made speeches at international conference, devoted to World Health Day, which was held at university on 5, April, 2018.

Department of Phthisiology and Pulmonology