Target TB working in partnership with Bwafwano
Country/regional profile
Zambia is one of the most sparsely populated countries in Africa. It is land-locked and shares its borders with 8 countries. The country has a population of approximately 11 million people, of which 64% live on less than a $1 a day.
TB represents a major health problem in Zambia. In the last 20 years, the number of reported cases of TB has increased more than five-fold, mainly as a result of the HIV epidemic and the increasing levels of poverty. 70% of newly diagnosed TB sufferers are co-infected with HIV. The two diseases have a deadly relationship, each speeding up the progress of the other.
Bwafwano’s project activities in Mkushi
district have helped many people to be
cured of TB, including 26yr old
Catherine Kunda.
Our work with Bwafwano
Target TB has been working in partnership with Zambian NGO Bwafwano Home Based Care Organisation (Bwafwano) since 2003. We are supporting an integrated TB and HIV programme in Mkushi district, Zambia. In 2007 we were awarded a grant from Comic Relief to support a five year integrated TB/HIV programme operating in 3 branches of Mkushi district, raising awareness of TB and HIV/AIDS and improving access to health care services for over 55,000 people.
Project Aims
This project aims to work with local people in impoverished, isolated rural communities, in order to find long-term sustainable solutions to TB and HIV control. We aim to improve access to diagnosis, treatment and care and support services.
Specific project targets include increasing the number of people accessing TB and HIV testing, increasing the number of people on TB and/or anti-retroviral treatment, and improving beneficiares’ welfare through a comprehensive home-based care programme.
Project Activities
- Direct support to people affected by TB and HIV, including home-based care and support services, basic medicines, nutritional supplements, transport to medical facilities and opportunities for income generating activities.
- Training local volunteers and peer educators, ensuring they are able to respond effectively to the needs of people affected by TB and HIV in their communities.
- Awareness raising and advocacy through health talks, street dramas, mass awareness raising events and establishing patient support groups.
- Establishing sustainable community networks to highlight and respond to the needs of people affected by TB and/or HIV, through collaboration with government health staff, other NGOs and CBOs, as well as community representatives.