Government has intensified efforts to curb the spread of Tuberculosis (TB) through the rollout of a national stigma reduction plan and legal toolkit designed to promote early treatment and protect patients from discrimination.
The latest intervention comes amid concerns that stigma remains one of the biggest obstacles to early testing and treatment, despite notable progress in reducing TB infections and related deaths.
Stakeholders recently met in Gweru for a sensitisation meeting focusing on unpacking the TB Stigma Reduction Plan and Legal Toolkit, which outlines patient rights, early detection strategies and measures to eliminate discrimination.
National AIDS Council Bulawayo Provincial Manager, Sinatra Nyathi, said addressing stigma is essential in tackling both TB and HIV.
“We cannot end HIV and AIDS by 2030 without addressing TB, as nearly half of people living with HIV develop TB at some point. Stigma discourages people from seeking treatment, so we are encouraging communities to come forward for screening while ensuring they understand their rights,” she said.
Director of Rehabilitation and Prevention of Tuberculosis (RAPT), Freddy Mutsvairo, emphasised the importance of community involvement in ongoing TB interventions.
“Our role is to complement Government efforts through targeted screening in communities. We work closely with TB survivors and champions to reach people on the ground, guided by the vision of a TB-free society. Stigma remains the main challenge we need to overcome,” he said.
Government notes that factors such as increased cross-border movement and high-risk environments, including mining communities, continue to fuel the spread of TB, including drug-resistant strains. This has prompted targeted responses involving enhanced surveillance and expanded community screening.
Bulawayo Provincial Medical Director, Maphios Siamuchembu, said efforts are being intensified to strengthen detection and treatment systems.
“We have significant movement to and from South Africa, which raises the risk of TB, including multidrug-resistant TB. However, we have made progress, with the burden now lower than it was in 2015. We are boosting surveillance, deploying mobile clinics to hard-to-reach areas and enhancing community case-finding while tackling stigma so people feel safe to seek treatment. We are also collaborating with neighbouring countries as part of a holistic approach,” he said.
Zimbabwe’s national TB response aligns with the World Health Organization End TB Strategy, which seeks to reduce TB incidence by 90 percent and deaths by 95 percent by 2035, compared to 2015 levels.
