Communicable disease control programmes in Malawi.

A series of half-day meetings were held between the Malawi National TB Control Programme and the other seven disease control programmes housed in the Community Health Science Unit (CHSU) to look at the structure and function of these programmes. Data were collected into a structured proforma on human resources, sources of international funding, policies and disease control activities, supportive activities, management organization, monitoring and evaluation and operational research. A number of constraints were identified, particularly in the areas of technical supervision, monitoring and evaluation and operational research.

The diagnosis of extrapulmonary tuberculosis in Malawi.

There is little information on a country-wide basis in sub-Saharan Africa about how the diagnosis of extra-pulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) is made. A country-wide cross-sectional study was carried out in 40 non-private hospitals in Malawi which register and treat (TB) patients in order to assess diagnostic practices in adults registered with EPTB. All patients aged 15 years and above in hospital on treatment for EPTB were reviewed usingTB registers, case note files and clinical assessment.