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New
volunteers to fight TB urgently needed
Onompilo base-Cato Manor abahlale bezimisele ngokubhekana
nanoma isiphi isimo esiphazamisa impilo yabantu bakulendawo.
Uma ubadinga ungavakashela ehhovisi lekhansela e-Wiggins
Multi Purpose Centre.
Most people in the industrialised world
think of tuberculosis (TB) as a disease of the 20th century
that was eradicated along with smallpox. But this year,
another two million people will die of the disease - almost
all of them in poor countries. Drug companies do not find
it an attractive market to develop new treatment because
it is alleged that TB affects the poor.
The harsh reality is that in Cato Manor,
the incidence of infection is growing alarmingly. Although
there are 12 community health workers (Onompilo) doing their
best it is simply not enough. Each health worker has an
average of 12 TB patients which are treated under the Directly
Observed Treatment Short Course (DOTS). However the length
and complexity of this treatment means that many patients
interrupt or abandon the course of drugs before the end.
As a result they run a risk of developing multi-drug resistant
TB, which is harder to treat.
“TB can be cured if the patient sticks
to the six months treatment programme. The family has to
get with the programme and desist from alienating patients.
The sooner a sufferer gets treatment, TB stops becoming
contagious,” said Ethel Herempie, a community health worker
who treats patients in the Wiggins Umkhumbane and surrounding
areas.
“More importantly people need to know that
TB and AIDS are two different diseases. If a patient is
diagnosed HIV positive they can develop TB. But it can be
isolated and cured. Not all TB sufferers are HIV positive
and not all HIV positive people suffer from TB. The truth
is that TB is as powerful a disease as AIDS,” said Herempie.
Thanks to various church organisations,
TB patients receive food parcels while they are still on
the DOTS programme.
Perhaps co-operation between the newly
established Cato Manor Health Co-operation and the community
health workers will advance the cause of combatting diseases
affecting our communities.
Most people in the industrialised world
think of tuberculosis (TB) as a disease of the 20th century
that was eradicated along with smallpox. But this year,
another two million people will die of the disease - almost
all of them in poor countries. Drug companies do not find
it an attractive market to develop new treatment because
it is alleged that TB affects the poor.
The harsh reality is that in Cato Manor,
the incidence of infection is growing alarmingly. Although
there are 12 community health workers (Onompilo) doing their
best it is simply not enough. Each health worker has an
average of 12 TB patients which are treated under the Directly
Observed Treatment Short Course (DOTS). However the length
and complexity of this treatment means that many patients
interrupt or abandon the course of drugs before the end.
As a result they run a risk of developing multi-drug resistant
TB, which is harder to treat.
“TB can be cured if the patient sticks
to the six months treatment programme. The family has to
get with the programme and desist from alienating patients.
The sooner a sufferer gets treatment, TB stops becoming
contagious,” said Ethel Herempie, a community health worker
who treats patients in the Wiggins Umkhumbane and surrounding
areas.
“More importantly people need to know that
TB and AIDS are two different diseases. If a patient is
diagnosed HIV positive they can develop TB. But it can be
isolated and cured. Not all TB sufferers are HIV positive
and not all HIV positive people suffer from TB. The truth
is that TB is as powerful a disease as AIDS,” said Herempie.
Thanks to various church organisations,
TB patients receive food parcels while they are still on
the DOTS programme.
Perhaps co-operation between the newly
established Cato Manor Health Co-operation and the community
health workers will advance the cause of combatting diseases
affecting our communities.
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Progress
is being made in Dunbar
Lawrence
Pato, the project manager in charge of the Dunbar development,
going over the plans with community liaison officer Thando
Ngcobo and land surveyor, Mike Mikula.
The project management
team for the Dunbar Housing Development has announced that
site pegging in this project has begun and the first show
unit will be completed soon.
There are three housing options in this
project. The first option is a single standing unit. The
second option is a semi-detached unit divided by one cavity
wall. It is ideal for members of the same family and it
allows for future extensions. The third option is a unit
built on two sides but can accommodate four families.
These options are being workshopped and
accepted with the members of the community.
According to Lawrence, site pegging has
already begun to fast track the construction of the first
units. It is anticipated that construction will commence
in August.
Another show unit in New Dunbar is being
constructed to gauge the feeling of the community.
Both communities will undergo development
simultaneously.
Development
obstacles removed
in Jamaica
Problems that have caused delays in
the development of Jamaica have been solved. MJX Construction
has been recalled to go ahead with the construction of 100
units.
The development hit a snag when it was
discovered that some of the sites that were allocated to
people who would have to move out of the way for infrastructural
work were not suitable for development.
Local emerging sub-contractors will be
used for the building of the units, as is the case with
other projects in Cato Manor.
This is seen as a positive step to boosting
the local economy and providing the all important experience
for emerging contractors so that they are able to secure
work elsewhere.
To date the project has delivered 160 units,
and a total number of 450 units are expected.
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