I write in response to an article in the Daily Monitor of Monday, May 16 titled, ‘Using Honey for Tuberculosis (TB) Treatment’. It was reported that honey can be used as an alternative treatment for TB. The article further stated that this was supported by results of a new study on the benefits of bees and honey. This is false because there was no such study as quoted by this reporter. Whereas it is true that the Uganda National Apiculture Development Organisation donated honey to patients suffering from TB at Mulago hospital last year, the honey was not meant to be an alternative to standard TB therapy.
The community, family and the patient, who are key stakeholders in the fight against TB need very accurate information so as to guide their TB treatment and general health-seeking behaviour. The reporter writes that honey is used as an anti-tuberculosis prophylactic and cure medication for TB patients. This is absolutely not true.
The use of honey and or any other foods or food supplements for treatment, control, prevention and or prophylaxis for TB as stated in the article is, therefore, not recommended. According to the Programme Manager National TB and Leprosy programme (NTLP), Dr Frank Mugabe, ‘Honey could only be used as a nutritional supplement like any other nutritious meal, with no proven evidence that honey will kill TB germs. It is very misleading to TB patients and the general public and may lead to loss of the gains made in the control against TB’.
The public needs to know that proper treatment for TB is key to stopping its spread. Individuals should be treated as per the Ministry of Health recommended regimens under daily observed therapy (DOT). The treatment aims to cure the patient, prevent complications and deaths from tuberculosis, prevent relapse of the disease, reduce transmission to other family members and the community and also prevent development of drug resistant TB.
According to the MOH-NTLP manual, treatment for tuberculosis should be done using anti-tuberculosis medicines. Two groups of anti-tuberculosis medicines are used in Uganda, that is, first and second line medicines. Both groups involve treatment with several antibiotics for an extended period of time between 6-20 months depending on the level of disease complication.
Provision of inaccurate information, especially use of natural products for prevention or cure of TB, is misleading to the public. Effective treatment for tuberculosis is available for free at public, private not for profit and selected private health units all over the country.
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