Stop TB Partnership Zimbabwe Concludes Regional stakeholders Consultation meetings on UNHLM 2023

The Stop TB Partnership in Zimbabwe has just concluded a series of regional consultative meetings on the UNHLM 2023, in a bit to enhance the participation of communities and to sensitize, engage, and consult stakeholders in preparation for the UNHLM on TB to be held from September20 to  22, 2023. By Michael Gwarisa A total of three regional meetings were held in Harare (covering Harare Metropolitan, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West, and Mashonaland Central Provinces), Bulawayo (covering Bulawayo Metropolitan, Masvingo, Matebeleland North, Matebeleland South, and Midlands Provinces) and Mutare (covering Manicaland…

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Workplace Stigma Against TB Survivors On The Rise In Zimbabwe

Documented cases of discrimination against TB patients and survivors in the workplace environment, have  been increasing over the years been reported in most settings in Zimbabwe with some employers going to the extent of dismissing survivors under unclear circumstances. By Kudakwashe Pembere recently in Kwekwe This was revealed during the presentation of the Community Rights and Gender Assessment findings in Kwekwe on Wednesday by Jointed Hands Welfare Organization (JHWO) director Dr Donald Tobaiwa. He said they learned from the assessment that a lot of former miners were dismissed without getting…

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Media, a critical partner in ending TB

A THIRD of tuberculosis (TB) infections in Southern Africa are linked to mining activities and recent studies estimate that 3 to 7 percent of miners are becoming ill with TB each year (TIMS Epidemiological Study,2012). Health Times Reporter in Johannesburg, South Africa To address these challenges, media practitioners from 12 SADC member countries converged yesterday, 27 April 2023 in Johannesburg, South Africa for a two-days capacity building workshop to enhance informed reporting on TB-related issues including TB in the mining sector at the invitation of the East, Central and Southern…

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Zim Global Fund Indaba Spotlights Triple Threat Of HIV,TB and NCDs

ZIMBABWE is currently meeting other African countries in Harare for the Global Fund Regional workshop to support countries with integrating NCDs and mental health into their funding request proposals to the Global Fund. By Michael Gwarisa The three day meeting is being attended by delegates from Ministries of Health from the African region, partners, and People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHIV) from Ghana, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Various speakers who during the official opening day concured that while there have been huge investments towards HIV, TB and malaria response through…

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JHWO Rural Clinic Accelerates Identification of Missed TB cases in Vungu

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

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

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

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?

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

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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