BY SILAS NKALA BULAWAYO City Council (BCC) and the Health and Child Care ministry have embarked on an extensive tuberculosis (TB) control programme running up to July 14.
The programme will target workers, pensioners, prisoners and the elderly, among others.
In a notice to residents and stakeholders yesterday, Bulawayo town clerk Christopher Dube said the Health and Child Care ministry and the National TB Control Programme, in collaboration with the City of Bulawayo, will be conducting targeted screening for active TB cases in the city from July 4 to 14.
“A mobile X-Ray truck and lab will be onsite at set venues throughout the city,” Dube said.
“The following are highly encouraged to visit the nearest screening site as per schedule to get screened for TB: Health care workers, people with HIV, diabetic patients, miners and ex-miners, ex-prisoners, prisoners, prison workers, malnourished children, those who have lived with or worked with someone who has TB, elderly people above 65 years, people living in congregate settings and those with symptoms such as night sweats, loss of weight, cough of more than a week or cough of any duration.”
Dube said the screening, testing and treatment for TB was free of charge.
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“Screening centres will be at Entumbane Complex, Bango shops Mpopoma, Kusile Flats Makokoba, Mathukuthuku shops in Sauerstown, Esigayweni, Cowdray Park, Caravan in Cowdray Park, Ngozi Mine, Malaba shops, Old Lobengula, Magwegwe North Terminus and Sekusile Shops in Nkulumane 5.”
In Zimbabwe, it is estimated that 29 000 people contracted TB in 2019 and about 6 300 of these succumbed to the disease. In 2019, an estimated 1 200 patients diagnosed with TB cases had drug resistant TB.
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