Tag: TB

JHWO Rural Clinic Accelerates Identification of Missed TB cases in Vungu

Michael Gwarisa

Jackson Sibanda a small scale artisanal miner from Vungu, Village 6 has just been screened for Tuberculosis (TB) at Riversdale Clinic in Vungu, 40 Kilometers away from Gweru. Due to the nature of his job which requires him to move from one place to another in search of the gold, he has little time on his hands and rarely visits a health facility whenever he falls ill. By Michael Gwarisa in Vungu However, his friend recently tested positive for TB and he fears he might have contracted it since they…

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Over 12,000 People with TB roaming freely in Zimbabwe

Michael Gwarisa

ABOUT 12,520 persons with Tuberculosis (TB) were not initiated on treatment in 2021 with indications that males constitute the biggest number of these missed cases. By Michael Gwarisa Males mainly artisanal miners and others who are informally employed have always been hard to reach according to the National TB program owing to the nature of their work, which takes them from one place to another and in most cases, they give false identity documents to avoid being tracked. The decline in the number of TB patients who were diagnosed and…

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Zim’s Targeted TB Screening Model Detects Over 7,000 New TB Cases

Michael Gwarisa

A total 7,317 new Tuberculosis (TB) cases were detected in hard to reach population groups since the year 2019 through the Kunda-Nqob’iTB (KN-TB) project, a community centred TB research and case detection model being implemented in Zimbabwe. By Michael Gwarisa The KN-TB program is a five year United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Tuberculosis Local Organization Network (TB-LON) funded project running from 2019 to 2024. The project is supporting the national TB-HIV response in Zimbabwe in eight high burden districts across three provinces. The eight target districts are Gweru,…

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Surviving TB As A Young Person. Tracing Dr Tanaka Mukuhwa’s Journey With TB

Michael Gwarisa

Tanaka Mukuhwa (19) from Mutare is a Tuberculosis Survivor and a young person living openly with HIV. He was diagnosed with Meningitis Tuberculosis (TB) at the age of 13 when he was still in school and stayed in hospital for six months. By Michael Gwarisa His story illustrates the profound consequences tuberculosis can have on young people especially those at the prime of their lives. Even though Tanaka’s story has a happy ending and describes unexpected positives amidst the challenges of tuberculosis treatment, including how this disease might provide an…

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Where Are The Mobile TB X-Ray Trucks?

Michael Gwarisa

THE Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC), has come under fire from Tuberculosis (TB) activists and advocates for delaying to release nine new mobile X-Ray vehicles that are meant for screening Tuberculosis (TB) in communities. By Michael Gwarisa According to initial plans, the nine trucks were supposed to be commissioned at an official ceremony on World TB Day on March 24, 2022 where the Vice President and Minister of Health, Dr Constantino Chiwenga was supposed to be the guest of honour. However, the event did not happen as planned…

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Stakeholders Push For National TB In The Workplace Policy

Michael Gwarisa

THE Stop TB Partnership Zimbabwe, Parliament, the private sector and other key stakeholders have amplified calls to have a national Workplace TB policy which will guide the implementation of TB and wellness programs in the workplace. By Michael Gwarisa in Kwekwe Even though most companies in the private sector have wellness policies in place, TB stakeholders believe a standalone TB policy framework would ensure the diseases is prioritized and given the attention it deserves. Speaking during a Public Private Partnership (PPP) Engagement Meeting that was hosted by the Stop TB…

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Zim Hosts One Impact Mobile App Familiarisation Meeting

Michael Gwarisa

VARIOUS stakeholders from the heath sector converged in Macheke, Mashonaland East to familiarise with the One-Health Mobile application, a tool which is set to become a key strategic response to combatting the challenges faced by Tuberculosis (TB) survivors and communities affected by TB as well as overcome bottlenecks in ending the TB epidemic. By Michael Gwarisa In an interview with HealthTimes on the side-lines of the One Impact Planning meeting in Macheke on Friday, 14 May 2022, Jointed Hands Welfare Organisation (JHWO) Executive Director, Dr Donald Tobaiwa said, “Today’s meeting…

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Local NGO Takes TB Fight to Mining Communities

Healthtimes

THE Disaster and Environmental Management Trust (DEMT) has been contracted by the Stop TB Partnership/ UNOPS to implement a project called Promoting meaningful Community involvement in the Zimbabwe National TB Program through Community Disease Committees in Mutoko and Mudzi Rural Districts of Zimbabwe. By Staff Reporter Speaking to HealthTimes, Romeo Chingezi, the project coordinator said both districts are giant mining areas, Mutoko produces over 70% of granite of granite output in Zimbabwe while Mudzi has over 5000 artisanal gold miners. The sizeable incomes from mining are promoting sex work which…

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Zimbabwe Procures 9 Mobile X-Ray Trucks For Door to Door TB Screening

Michael Gwarisa

THE Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) National Tuberculosis (TB) programme will soon be unveiling a fleet of new Mobile X-Ray vehicles in a move that is set to increase TB case finding and also ensure that those are screened and tested will be linked to care. By Michael Gwarisa The mobile X-Ray vehicles will be distributed across nine provinces in Zimbabwe where they will be conducting targeted screening for active Tuberculosis (TB) among high risk groups, and the program will be spearheaded by the Ministry of health and…

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Smoking Shisha A Potential TB Super spreader-Expert

Michael Gwarisa

HOOKER Water Pipes also known as Shisha or Hubbly Bubbly could be possible transmitters of the bacteria that causes Tuberculosis (TB) from one person a group of multiple smokers at any given time, a local TB expert has warned. By Michael Gwarisa The warning comes in the wake of an increase in the uptake of the Shisha smoking in Zimbabwe around some of the popular joints where multiple smokers take turns to puff of on the pipes without following any hygiene etiquette. According to data, the number of puffs inhaled…

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