August is an important month for many Zimbabweans.
It is the month that we celebrate the men and women who sacrificed their lives to free the country from colonial rule.
It is also the month that many family events are held. Talk of unveiling of tombstones, kurova makuva (a tradition that is held to bring back the soul of a departed home to care for the family) and many other traditional gatherings.
For the churches and other religious groupings, it is the month that many hold their annual conventions and gatherings.
Such gatherings are not only important for the individuals who attend but for those who convene them.
But the gatherings could be a useful platform for authorities to share important messaging on issues that affect the country.
And one such issue is Tuberculosis.
Tuberculosis shortened to TB continues to be a global health challenge, affecting millions of people each year. It remains the leading killer infectious disease after Covid. There were an estimated 10 million people worldwide who fell ill with TB in 2022, with 1,5 million deaths.
In Zimbabwe, it is estimated that 33 000 fall ill of TB every year making it a major public health challenge.
There are indications that men bear the biggest burden of TB in the country, mostly within the artisanal mining communities and the informal sector. These people are mostly in hard to reach areas hence they are often missed.
Pulmonary tuberculosis is caused by a bacteria called Mycobacterium tuberculosis which causes holes in the lung tissues that can result in further respiratory complications.
Not only is TB dangerous for the infected individual, it is also dangerous for the community as it spreads through airborne droplet particles.
The droplets can stay in the air for hours, causing a high risk of infection for those who are around someone with TB.
Now, with the gatherings happening this month, it becomes all the more important for everyone to take part in raising awareness of the disease.
With awareness comes better prevention efforts and better health seeking behaviours to keep all communities safe.
This is why the Stop TB Partnership has taken steps to involve the communities in the response to the TB burden.
Last week, Stop TB partnership Zimbabwe in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Child Care met with traditional and church leaders to try and address the many gaps that still exist in the TB response. TB is more than a health challenge as it is also affected by social, cultural, and economic factors.
A Community Rights and Gender (CRG) Assessment which was carried out in Zimbabwe in 2021 showed that stigma and discrimination continue to pose a threat to the TB response in the country.
In the same vein, myths and misconceptions around TB continue fuelling stigma and discrimination, poor health-seeking behaviour, and poor treatment outcomes.
Engaging and collaborating with a wide range of partners is therefore crucial to strengthening the TB response and achieving the global targets set by the END TB Strategy, National TB Strategic Plan, and the United High-Level Meeting on TB.
This is why it was important to engage religious and traditional leaders as opinion leaders and influential people within communities.
Jointed Hands Welfare Organisation executive director Dr Donald Tobaiwa said religious and traditional leaders have the potential to play a crucial role in the fight against TB as they hold command of a significant number of people and have the power to influence behaviour and attitudes within their communities.
According to results from the Community Rights and Gender (CRG) Assessment, at least 8,5 percent of the respondents indicated that their first point of contact whenever they fell ill was the traditional system.
"The communities of faith come in terms of TB detection, treatment, care and prevention. Faith communities are known to care. The message around how we can prevent TB is critical when it comes from faith religions. Their support and involvement in TB awareness and prevention initiatives can significantly impact the spread of the disease.
Religious and traditional leaders can use their platform to educate their followers and communities about TB, encourage early detection and treatment, reduce stigma, and promote healthy practices. Their involvement can help reach vulnerable populations and ensure that TB prevention and treatment messages are effectively communicated to community members," he said.
Recognising their influential position, it is crucial to explore how faith leaders can contribute to the fight against TB.
As Dr Tobaiwa said, traditional and church leaders are respected figures within communities, making them ideal messengers to raise awareness about TB and its impact.
They can use their platform to disseminate accurate information about TB prevention, symptoms, and available treatments.
Through sermons, community gatherings, or traditional communication channels, leaders can help debunk myths and misconceptions surrounding TB, reducing stigma.
The community rights and gender assessment showed that 31 percent of the people affected by TB faced stigma at some point.
Traditional and church leaders can play a vital role in combating such negative attitudes and prejudices. By promoting inclusiveness and empathy within their communities, these leaders can create a safe space for individuals living with TB to seek help and support. Moreover, they can actively work towards dispelling the fear associated with the disease, ensuring community acceptance and reducing the social burden on affected individuals.
In addition, about 54 percent indicated that they stopped treatment because they were feeling better. Of these, 3, 5 percent indicated that they would have received guidance from faith communities that they had been healed.
Dr Tobaiwa said faith communities should therefore encourage and provide awareness around treatment adherence.
"Faith communities are key in the community led monitoring because they are the first point of contact with wider communities. If that person gets the right information about what they are feeling, they can be referred to a health facility even after being assisted by the faith communities.
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It does not only end at referrals but when they come back, they are provided with psychosocial support, spiritual support counselling and encouragement to adhere to treatment. The faith community attracts a wider audience and it is this same audience that you can give more information from the pulpit or any other faith based spaces you are in. As long as we are breathing, we are passing on the disease to others. When we sing in church we are spreading TB so we are all at risk," he said
Faith leaders can also actively promote TB screenings and encourage community members to undergo diagnostic tests.
By highlighting the importance of early detection and adherence to treatment, they can help prevent the spread of the disease and improve patient outcomes. Through religious and cultural events, leaders can integrate health messages into their programmes and facilitate the involvement of healthcare personnel for testing and treatment initiatives.
The active engagement of traditional and church leaders has the potential to significantly enhance the country's response to TB. By harnessing their influential position and community ties, leaders can contribute to creating awareness, reducing stigma, promoting screenings and treatment adherence, mobilising resources, and advocating for policy changes.
This will strengthen the fight against TB, ultimately improving the public health landscape and achieving a TB-free society.
