Zim to mark World TB Day commemorat​ions

 Zim to mark World TB Day commemorations
Monica Cheru-Mupambawashe
The Herald
25 January 2012

Harare - This year World TB Day commemorations are set to be held in Bulawayo on March 24, advocacy, communication and social mobilization /community TB care officer in the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare AIDS and TB Unit Mr Andrew Nyambo has announced. The slogan for the year is "Stop TB in My Lifetime" while the theme is "Call for a World Free of TB". Many activities, including marches, are slotted for the day in which the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare and other organisations will be hoping to raise awareness.

Speaking at a stakeholders' meeting held in Harare last Friday, Mr Nyambo said various committees in Bulawayo would be responsible for the event. He emphasised the need for the involvement of all stakeholders in the awareness drive to reduce TB incidences in the country. Zimbabwe is in the top 17 of high TB burden countries in the world. Pulmonary TB has sharply risen in the country in a phenomenon linked to the HIV pandemic as co-infection is common in patients infected with either. Anyone testing positive for HIV is encouraged to regularly undergo TB tests while those who test positive for TB should also be tested for HIV.

The country has also seen a surge in multi-drug resistant TB which is very difficult and expensive to treat. Ordinary TB is curable especially if diagnosed early. The key to arresting the spread of the disease is in early diagnosis and treatment. An infected person who is not on treatment is likely to pass on the bacilli while a person on treatment is not infectious. Another factor leading to multi-drug resistant TB in addition to late diagnosis and treatment is that of defaulters. Some patients do not adhere to their treatment regimens once they feel better and as result the disease progresses. Treatment for TB is free in public clinics and hospitals.