Abstract

BACKGROUND: Directly Observed Treatment short courses programme is the key strategy on national efforts to end the TB disease by 2035. The aim of this study was to explore experiences of health care workers who care for patients receiving treatment under DOTS strategy at public health facilities in Windhoek, Namibia.

METHODS: A qualitative explorative, descriptive research design was employed and a purposive sampling considering diversity was used to select participants who met the inclusion criteria for the study. A semi-structured interview guide was used to collect data. The study was conducted in the Windhoek district of the Khomas region, with a sample of 14 health care workers. Data was analysed by means of content analysis, a process of organizing and integrating narrative, qualitative data according to emerging themes and concepts.

RESULTS: One theme emerged from data, which is the experiences of health care workers when attending to patients on DOTS. Participants shared their experiences on DOTS services and as result, shortage of staff, movements of patients from residential address, alcohol abuse and lack of enough food was repeatedly viewed as a barrier to DOTS services.

CONCLUSION: To achieve the goal of reduction of TB cases by 95% by 2030, more training on the DOTS is needed for all health care workers.

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