Our history. More than 20 years working on TB
In the early 90s the epidemiological situation in Catalonia was rather worrying, considering 3.000 diagnosed cases with a high rate over 50/100.000 people. That means, the impact is between 2 and 5 times higher than developed countries. In 1992 the city of New York also got an alarming rate reaching up to 51.1/100.000 TB infections. With the purpose of decreasing the amount of cases a special program was created. One of the main measures was the consolidation of DOT (Directly Observed Treatment) for Tuberculosis patients, reducing that rate down to 13/100.000.
Therefore, and due to the increasing TB incidence among other causes like HIV pandemic, in 1993 the WHO declared an “International State of Emergency against the Tuberculosis”. DOT was definitely found as a major instrument for TB treatment.
Based on the program that had been experienced in New York City “in situ”, Serveis Clínics was created in Barcelona city as a specialized medical clinic, being able to offer the Tuberculostatic supervised treatment by DOT. The clinic itself, has available a radiology service and sends the bacteriological samples to the main referential national centres in Mycobacterias.
Furthermore, observing the increasing necessity to assist TB patients, in 1995 was created the ETODA team (Directly Observation Treatment Outpatient Team). With this service starts the supervision of medication and following up appointments for those patients who were not able to be clinically admitted, although a complete adhesion and support were needed whether at home or in any other place previously arranged.
Despite of ETODA was initially circumscribed in Barcelona city, later on was also expanded to another regions in Catalonia.
Since the beginning of 1993 when Serveis Clínics was conceived until January 2014, there have been clinically admitted 1672 patients while 2187 were treated by ETODA, with more than 3800 of TB cases.
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