6 August 2015

The Donald Woods Foundation is partnering with Lilly and United Way Worldwide to tackle multi-drug resistant TB in the Eastern Cape.

The partnership aims to assist the Department of Health in the effective management of DR-TB in the province, through five strategic programmes:

• Training and Professional Development;
• Promotion and Awareness;
• Integrated partnerships;
• Patient tracking and records management; and
• Monitoring and Evaluation, and Research

As part of this joint initiative, DWF has been training Buffalo City ward councillors and other community leaders on all aspects of MDR/XDR TB, and are actively establishing and assisting support groups.

It is also setting up psychosocial support systems for MDR/XDR TB patients, developing a capacity building programme for these patients and training peer educators to further assist patients, their families and the wider community.

To ensure maximum efficacy of its TB programmes, the DWF TB team is establishing partnerships with schools, the local taxi industry and local prisons, and are developing various information sheets and other awareness materials on multi and extreme drug-resistant TB.
A sophisticated patient tracking and management system has also been developed to assist health officials in the province in the effective management of TB patients.

Other key achievements include:

• 40 health promoters trained
• Improved the filing system at Nkqubela Hospital, resulting in better service for patients, reduced waiting times and improved infection control
• Placement of 5 DOT supporters at each of the TB hospitals, resulting in improved adherence and education of patients
• Established a schools programme
• Established a Health education and screening programme at Fort Glamorgan and Mdantsane Prisons