On 7 June 2023, HIT TB Hard and Sustainable Community Wide Approach in Lung Health (SCALE) study celebrated and honored Blantyre TB officers with certificates for their commitment during the course of the study.
The event, held in Kameza, drew a gathering of esteemed representatives from Blantyre District Health Office and over 30 TB officers.
A Field Research Assistant from the group, Frank Chikapa, expressed his appreciation for the TB officers’ dedication during the study. “This certification serves as a testament of the officers unwavering commitment to providing solutions to the persistent challenging disease. The work of these officers has led to the successful completion of the study and has helped us to achieve our goals. We are proud to award them with these well-deserved certificates,” he said.
The study, conducted from 2011 to May 2023, focused on reducing Tuberculosis (TB) burden in Blantyre urban.
During the ceremony, Blantyre DHO TB officer Namuku Gama commended the study for their tireless efforts in addressing the burden of TB and improving lives of individuals affected by the disease.
“Apart from discovering new knowledge, the study has established a strong link between the Blantyre District Health Office, Ministry of Health and MLW which is very admirable and impactful. On the other hand, the certificates will encourage our TB officers to keep up their good work,” he said.
According to Sally Chiwanda, a TB officer who was amongst the awardees, the study provided in-depth training and knowledge enhancement to the TB officers, equipping them with the latest advancements in TB diagnosis, treatment, and prevention strategies.
Among other success stories, the study has managed to reduce the burden of TB in Blantyre urban by conducting active case finding for door-to-door screening, it has managed to track participants using electronic maps, it also gave out TB culture results for proper follow ups and it has also managed to reach 100% of HIV testing for all TB patients upon linking them into care.
