“Why should Tuberculosis (TB) still be the leading cause of death for people living with HIV? We have prevention strategies and innovations in diagnosis and treatment. We have the tools to end TB. We urgently need collective community action and leadership to ensure that programs to prevent, screen and treat are taken to scale”. –
Dr Theonevus Tinashe Chinyanga (OPHID Executive Director)
The Organisation for Public Health Interventions and Development (OPHID) joins the Zimbabwean Ministry of Health and Child Care and fellow citizens in commemorating World TB Day on the 24th of March 2023. This year’s theme is “Yes! We can end TB! Together, we are calling all stakeholders to come together to inspire hope among communities affected by TB and advocate for leaders at all levels to invest and support the adoption of innovations, accelerated action, and multisectoral collaboration to combat the TB epidemic.
Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the world's deadliest infectious killers, and the risk of getting the disease is believed to be 30 times likely in People Living with HIV (PLHIV). Globally, nearly 4 000 people die from TB, and nearly 28,000 people become ill yearly with this preventable and curable illness. In Zimbabwe, it is estimated that 29 000 fell ill of TB in 2019 and about 6 300 of these succumbed to the disease. As an organization, we think that by investing urgently in resources, support, care, and information we can collectively guarantee universal access to TB care and ultimately end TB. Innovations include improved TB preventive treatment options, shorter TB treatment regimens, rapid molecular diagnostics and tests for tuberculosis infection, and other innovations and digital tools that can improve health results and save millions of lives.
With funding from the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MOHCC), OPHID and its implementing partners support routine screening of TB among all people living with HIV across 15 districts of Zimbabwe and ensure quality long-term care for 500 000 PLHIV with HIV Care and Treatment Services. We have managed to screen 11 632 PLHIV for TB and had signs of active TB disease between February 2022 to February 2023 and 1 703 tested positive and initiated on TB treatment.
Through our Target, Accelerate and Sustain Quality Care (TASQC) for HIV epidemic control program, OPHID recommends the following actions for priority populations:
Identifying and treating TB among HIV positive pregnant women.
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OPHID urges all HIV positive pregnant women to be screened for TB at every clinic visit to receive prompt diagnosis and treatment.
Stepping up efforts for TB screening in children.
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Children who have been exposed to TB in their immediate family or household should be screened for TB.
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OPHID urges parents and caregivers diagnosed and treatment for TB to get their children screened for TB at the nearest clinic.
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Children living with HIV should be screened for TB at every routine consultation.
Fighting TB and HIV for a healthy future.
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OPHID encourages all people living with HIV to be screened for TB every time they visit the clinic to receive prompt TB diagnosis and treatment if needed.
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Together, we can fight TB and HIV & OPHID encourages everyone to take action to prevent the spread of TB and HIV within their families and communities.
Contact Us: Organization for Public Health Interventions and Development
20 Cork Road, Belgravia, HarareZimbabwe
Telephone: 263-(242)-252772/ 700600