Community-Based TB Care: Experience from ... - CORE Group

Community Based TB care through former TB patients’ social clubs3.0 LESSONS LEARNT AND RECOMMENDATIONS3.1 Lessons learnt• Major CBTC activities implemented by MUKIKUTE in TemekeConducting sensitization gatherings, trainings and health talks; defaulter and TB contacttracing; and supervising patients under home based DOT have played the major role in thescaling up of CBTC in Temeke.• Ccommunity responsibility in TB controlThe involvement of former-TB patients as treatment supporters in the program hassignificantly contributed to empowerment of former-patients to take active role in the fightagainst TB. Community involvement through former TB patients’ groups is effective increating and strengthening the sense of individual, family and community responsibility inTB control. Testimony of a person who has experienced signs and symptoms of TB andcured builds a kind of trust among TB suspects to early seek for care from health facilities.• Community mobilization/sensitizationEnhancing community awareness through the use of former TB patients as informants andtreatments supporters has significantly contributed towards reducing default rates andimproving cure rates. It has also contributed towards reducing stigma and discrimination ofTB patients in the family and community as observed in TemekeEdu-entertainments have revealed to be very important for creating people gathering. It hasbeen also observed that edu- entertainments are good methods to convey messagesconcerning TB and TB/HIV to community. They portray the message that people have beencured from TB with or without HIV can live normally and engaging him/herself in any kind ofactivities.• Referral system of TB suspectA number of patients seem to be kept by traditional healers. Conducting training andworking with traditional healers with the emphasis of referring TB suspects for diagnosis ismuch considered as a potential point of entry to reach many TB patients and henceincreased case detection rate in Temeke Municipal.• Funding former TB patients’ clubsFormer TB patients’ groups hardly ever empower themselves but need the involvement ofstakeholders other than the TB programme. These stakeholders might be nongovernmentalorganizations, activists for PLHIV and academic institutions. Temeke region has beenallocating funds for community based TB care activities. The CBTC activities have beenplaned and implemented in collaboration between the Council through TB programme andformer TB patients’ organization, MUKIKUTE and LHL.• Nutritional supportMost of the TB patients revealed to have positive altitude in drug taking, but the problem hasbeen shortage of food. The club in collaboration with the Council and other stakeholders canExperience from Temeke Page 14