Special Report on World TB Day
Good
Life TB Dots ---------- New hope in reducing TBPakistan ranks the eight among high TB burden countries in the world, with an estimated prevalence of 177/100,000. This means every year approximately 300, 000 people suffer from tuberculosis in Pakistan. Pakistan is confronted with challenges in health of local communities because of changing atmosphere and environment over last few years. Poverty, lack of basic health services, poor nutrition and inadequate living conditions all contribute to the spread of Tuberculosis. In turn illness and death from TB reinforces and deepens poverty in many communities. A key challenge for TB control today is finding those people who have limited access to effective TB treatment and curing them. In a very successful example of a public private partnership Greenstar (Good Life) works with the National TB Control Program to complement the government in its effects to detect TB patients and to treat them using the very successful directly observed therapy (DOTS) intervention. Greenstar activities include:
• Identification of possible TB patients
• Facilitation for testing
• Registration for treatment with the provider
• Provision of medication directly to their home for the full eight
month course of treatment.
Our
main objective is to reduce the morbidity and mortality on account of
TB. World TB day will be observed on 24th March 2009 through out the
world to raise awareness among public about this global epidemics. To
commemorate World TB day, Greenstar Social Marketing Pakistan organizes
series of events all over Pakistan and all the activities will be
carried out in collaboration with relevant government departments,
partner organizations and civil society. Major activities include
awareness walks, community awareness activities, and advocacy and
seminars. I am stopping TB is more than slogan.
Good Life is commuted to make a significant contribution in the fight
against TB in Pakistan by taking a social marketing approach and
involving private sector, medical doctors (1080 our trained doctors) and
the civil society. The Pilot Intervention encompasses training of
private providers, recruitment and training of field staff and treatment
supporters, development and implementation of targeted Behavior Change
Communication (BCC) strategy and DOTS through social franchising and
referral networking and monitoring evaluation of the strategy and
effectiveness. Piloting of this intervention was carried out initially
in two cities and subsequently increased to five due to the unbelievable
achievements.
We addresses the underlining ill
cause of health by promoting prevention; education and economic well
beings with in the community achieving equity of access to health
services. During past years we have been working very hard to help our
people become healthier.
Greenstar envisions a Pakistan where people plan their families and have
improved maternal and child health and reduced tuberculoses burden.
Greenstar aims to be an organization of competent professionals,
passionate about improving the lives of poor people in Pakistan. To
improve the quality of life among people throughout Pakistan by
increasing access to and use of health products, services and
information, particularly in the lower socio-economic population groups.
Although much is being done, we are confident that if we continue to
invest time and energy with our partners, we will be able to make an
even greater difference in the lives of those people we serve. Provided
By Dr.Nazish
This is a story about a women name Safia w/o Ibraheem. She
was having cough since last three consecutive months. She went to different
doctors and tried to take treatment but unfortunately her condition was not
improved. Then one day she went to one of the doctor in her area, who after
seeing her X-ray, told her that, “May be you are suffering from
tuberculosis. ”She was shocked after hearing this. She was confused, and she
came to her home with broken heart. As she thought that T.B is incurable and
also very expensive. One day when our C.H.O Amir who was on his house hold
visit, in that area, one of the neighbor of Safia, told our C.H.O Amir that
there is a lady who was having same complaints as told by Amir, Then Amir
was taken to her home and met her son. When Amir inquired about her mother,
he showed all her reports to him. He also told that it is very difficult for
us to take treatment as they were very poor. Then our C.H.O took him and his
mother to our provider, and our provider thoroughly checked her and sent her
sputum for lab testing. After Lab. Testing she was diagnosed as smear
Positive patient. Doctor told her son that your mother is suffering from T.B
Her son was shocked after hearing this news. He told Amir that we can’t
afford tuberculosis treatment, as we even don’t have money to feed our
children. Then Amir told him that you don’t have to give money for
laboratory testing and also don’t have to pay for the medicines. All you
need is just take full course of T.B treatment as advised. Amir also asked,
is there any person in her family who could feed medicines to her on proper
time. Her son told him that his daughter is very close to her grand mother
and she can do that work. Then in this way her treatment was started on
29/03/2008 and her treatment was completed on 05/12/2008.Now she is living
as healthy person, and she is very thankful to all the staff of Green star
and Goodlife.
Following
there is a message from a person who was a TB patient and treated through
Goodlife (NGO) networkNeekwals’s Message
after been treated by Good Life
At the completion of his treatment Neekwals was very happy. He was willing
to deliver a message to other T.B patient. Neekwals expressed in his message
that Tuberculosis is now no more life threatening! It is curable. this is my request
to them that please do not be disappointed, get treated, and complete
treatment should be taken for 08 months under the supervision of the
Treatment Supporter and according to the advice of doctor.