Patients stand out in fight against tuberculosis
Abongile Bulani and Neliswa Busakwe have been named the ‘Harry Comay patients of the month’ for March.
The Patient of the Month initiative was launched by the Harry Comay hospital to motivate, inspire and encourage patients in their fight against TB. “Through this initiative we aim to facilitate and teach selfrespect while also being mindful of the needs of others, as well as caring for our environment,” says Alyssa Loftus, medical doctor at Harry Comay Hospital. The aim is to identify role models in the hospital as well as the community: someone who rises above their circumstances despite the many challenges faced. “Patients are scored according to certain criteria (medication compliance, friendliness, neatness, helpfulness in the ward, attendance of group sessions, etc.) and selected by a committee comprising doctors, nursing staff, the social worker and management.
The spread of TB can be prevented by keeping windows open and letting fresh air enter your home and taking your children for their immunisations. The symptoms are constant coughing that lasts for over three weeks, discoloured or bloody sputum (mucus coughed up from the lungs), drenching night sweats, tiredness and loss of appetite.
TB or Tuberculosis is caused by bacteria called Mycobacterium Tuberculosis. The lungs are typically affected, but other parts of the body can also be infected (e.g. lymph glands, abdomen, bones and brain).
TB is spread when a person infected with lung TB coughs and the microscopic (aerosolised) droplets are inhaled by another person.
Remember, TB is a curable disease. Organisations and individuals who would like to be involved in the Patient of the Month project can contact the Harry Comay Hospital on 044 803 9000 and speak to Dr Loftus.