AN official from The Challenge TB headquarters in The Hague has commended Zimbabwe’s progress in fighting TB through its various innovations.
By Kudakwashe Pembere
Deputy Project Director Challenge TB at KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation Dr Emmy van der Grinten during the CHALLENGE TB Close Out Ceremony said the country has appealing innovations which can be replicated elsewhere.
“I want to focus on key activities that have been pioneered in Zimbabwe which can be an example for the rest of the world really. There are some activities which you have done that none of the other 23 countries have done. So Dr Sandy this morning was already mentioning about One Stop Shop model for TB/HIV innovation but that was piloted here and was exported to other countries. But a few more activities under Challenge TB so let me just mention a few.
“So based on the one stop shop model I think where integration happened between TB and HIV activities you have also added diabetes mellitus on that integrated model so at the moment, TB patients will be screened for diabetes and diabetes patients will be screened for TB. So I think this is a good example of how you have come up with a new model which other countries can actually learn from,” she said.
She went on to the other example which is the sample transportation system.
“Many countries have organised sample transportation but most of the countries only focus on TB samples. So the couriers will be driving the samples from faraway places to the labs but they only carry TB samples here. I think 80 percent of the samples collected were not TB related but we managed to set up a system that really strengthening the health system for all in which you can transport all kinds of samples which make it easy for the patient and for the health worker. So that is the second example which I think countries can really learn from Zimbabwe,” said Dr van der Grinten.
Dr van der Grinten also mentioned Zimbabwe’s TB Data for Action program.
“I came here in Zimbabwe last year in April and we travelled to Bulawayo. So we visited the provincial medical director, the district medical director, the medical director of the health facility and we saw the TB focal person. All the people had the data at the back of their minds. They could tell us offhand how many patients they had, what kind of patients they had, how many finished treatment, what were the problems in their respective areas and how they were going to tackle.
“It was really impressive that all the people are using the data and they are using the data for action. I’m sure that is not being done in a lot of countries. I know the Union is going to do this in Nigeria. You will see that the things that are being done here can be exported in other countries. And the last activity which is really managed well here is both the coordination with the parliamentarians and also with the media. I think that can also serve as an example on how you need to involve a lot of partners to make sure TB is on the agenda of the public,” she said.
Officiating the event, Health and Child Care Minister Dr Obadiah Moyo commended the Challenge TB fund ending this year while applauding the support from the USAID in the fight against TB.
The Union Zimbabwe country director Dr Christopher Zishiri said they a customised state of the art laboratory for TB is now 80 percent complete and is expected from South Africa by June this year.
Deputy Director for TB in the AIDS/TB Department in the Health Ministry Dr Charles SandyAbout 83% of TB patients suffer catastrophic costs.
“This calls for stronger multi-sectoral collaborations to reduce these costs on patients” he said giving an overview of the national TB response.
