EDITORIAL : LET’S EMBRACE TB FIGHT

REPORTS that Zimbabwe has been removed from 30 high burden countries for Tuberculosis (TB) is a massive step in the right direction.

As Zimbabweans, we should be proud of ourselves for the progress that we have made in this fight.

The great strides Zimbabwe has made to be removed from that list is also a clear indication that our medical chiefs are not sleeping on duty.

Local health authorities, and medical practitioners, have also proved their doubting Thomases wrong and underscored the point that they are capable and competent enough to be ranked among the best.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has also commended the efforts being made by local health authorities despite 14000 missed cases.

This should be good news to the Government, which has been making great efforts to contain TB, among other diseases.

The Government, through the Ministry of Health and Child Care, has always been committed towards vaccination of people against dangerous diseases.

 TB, which causes severe weight loss, fever and night sweats, has over the years robbed the country of many of our citizens.

This is set to become a thing of the past should local authorities continue to move with their pace.

With 30000 people falling ill and 4000 lives being lost every day globally, it shows that the national TB control and anti-retroviral programmes need to be strengthened.

These revelations were made on Friday during the commemoration of World TB Day.

Medical experts noted that there was a need for governments and partners to commit more resources towards the eradication of TB.

However, it has been highlighted that some financial gaps have hindered the successful implementation of the TB management programmes in some areas.

As such, the corporate world and other individuals should come on board and assist the Government in the fight against TB.

We also expect the corporate world to display the same spirit they showed during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, cholera outbreak, among other diseases.

Just like HIV and Aids, which is being suppressed and manageable nowadays, there is nothing which can stop us from doing the same.

In this era, when many diseases can be managed, there is nothing stopping us from containing the spread of TB.

Since it is highly contagious, especially when someone inhales droplets of a coughing TB patient, people should seek treatment on time.

TB can be easily detected and its symptoms are persistent coughing, tiredness and fatigue, loss of appetite, weight loss and night sweat.

Keeping a person with these symptoms at home can be dangerous since TB is contagious.

People resisting treatment, while showing these symptoms, should simply be taken to hospital and get treatment on time.

Losing a life to TB in this era should be avoided since it can be managed by simply going on treatment.

There is also a need for health authorities to intensify awareness programmes against TB.