Govt steps up efforts to end TB

THE Ministry of Health and Child Care is training village health workers in Chipinge to raise awareness on tuberculosis (TB) after the district missed its screening targets.

The programme has seen at least 150 Chipinge village health workers being capacitated with knowledge.

In an interview on the sidelines of the district’s tuberculosis dialogue meeting in Chipinge last week, district tuberculosis coordinator, Mr Michael Muponda said there is need to sensitise communities in line with Government’s target of zero TB deaths by 2030.

“Our clinics are sensitising people on Government’s target of zero TB deaths by 2030 and we have had several trainings on the issue.

“At community level, the best person to assist us in TB sensitisation is the village health worker, so we need to fill the knowledge gap.

“Out of about 780 health workers, we have trained 150, so there is great progress,” he said.

Mr Muponda also noted the need for a multi-sectoral approach in fighting TB.

“On TB notifications, we are okay because we had 100 percent for 2022. However, for paediatric TB we are not on target and we need to improve on that. We had targeted 52 cases last year but we only got 45 that are already on treatment.

“For drug resistance TB, we only managed to diagnose three cases out of 15, so we need to screen more people,” he said.

Stakeholders who attended the meeting concurred on the need to join hands in sensitising communities in the wake of increased TB deaths in the district.

Mrs Lydia Masengu from the Meteorology Department said as a key stakeholder in disaster management, her organisation will take part in the sensitisation of communities about TB.

“The Meteorological Department can also use its voice to speak on TB issues when we disseminate critical information on disasters and climate change.

“We can also utilise skits to send out our messages so that TB is not taken for granted given that our communities are suffering in ignorance,” she said.

Community contributions to TB notifications stand at 17 percent at national level and six percent for Chipinge.