Legislators urged to help fight TB

Committee on Health, Dr David Parirenyatwa, has said.
Speaking at a workshop on TB and HIV/Aids hosted by Zimbabwe Network for People Living Positively (ZNNP+) in Harare, Dr Parirenyatwa said there was need for active participation of parliamentarians and traditional leaders in TB and HIV/Aids programmes.

“This will enhance community participation in the prevention of TB infections as well as early detection of the disease.
“The civil society has to engage parliamentarians in policy advocating since they play a crucial role in their respective constituencies as policy makers.”
Dr Parirenyatwa challenged civil society to fill in the knowledge gap to enable MPs to assist in TB programmes.

“We have to see what needs to be done in prisons and barracks as statistics shows that people in prisons are two to 50 times more likely to get TB,” he said.
Zvishavane legislator Obert Matshalaga, (Zanu-PF) said MPs were willing to participate in the programmes but what they lacked was knowledge of the disease.
“Plans to come up with an organisation that will ensure active participation of MPs in the health delivery sector are at advanced stage. The organisation should cut across the political divide. We are more than willing to work with the civil society in curbing the spread of TB, HIV/Aids and other diseases,” he said.

National professional officer for TB in the Ministry of Health, Dr Patrick Hazangwe who was representing the World Health Organisation said the country has made significant strides in the fight against TB with a 74 percent success rate.

“The country is seeking new ways of addressing issues of TB,” Dr Hazangwe said.
During a question and answer session, Mashonaland West provincial medical director Dr Wenceslas Nyamayaro said the new challenge was TB infections in HIV positive patients, which makes it impossible to detect the TB bacteria.

“Immuno suppression patients rely on X-ray for TB diagnosis, which makes it expensive for mass screening, as TB treatment is free. We appeal to people from all walks of life to chip in and assist in the fight against TB,” said Dr Nyamayaro.