WORLD TB DAY: BOPHELONG CLINIC SUPPORT GROUP

One of the biggest challenges in addressing the problem of tuberculosis (TB) in South Africa, is getting patients to complete their course of treatment.

Community stigmas about TB, a lack of support from their families and the length of treatment – three to six pills a day for six months – make it challenging for patients to complete their treatment successfully. Sometimes patients also abandon their treatment when they start feeling better, which ultimately will lead them to develop drug-resistant TB. Read more »

• Project Director:  USAID/South Africa TB Project, Pretoria, S.A.
• Public-Private Mix DOTS and NGO Support Coordinator, Pretoria, S.A.

To apply, please e-mail a résumé and covering letter, for the attention of Ms T Morake, to applications@urc-sa.com with the job title in the subject line.

Closing date for applications: 10 February 2012

Location

Towards TB and HIV services that are integrated, friendly and accessible to all.

To mark the 23^rd commemoration of World Aids Day in South Africa, the USAID TB Project conducted various activities countrywide.

In the Nelson Mandela Bay metro, where the national commemoration was taking place, activities commenced on 1^st November 2011.

In the week leading up to World Aids Day, facility co-ordinators in the area teamed up with Octavovert, an NGO funded through to USAID TB Project Grants Program, to conduct TB screening and Rapid HIV Testing at the community level.  

Members of the community were mobilised around a road show truck that provided  health education and interactive games about TB and HIV. TB screening and rapid HIV testing were set up behind the road show trucks. After pre-counselling people lined up for services. A community dialogue was also held in Kwa-Zakhele township where ward councillors, community groups and district health office discussed TB and HIV challenges facing the district. Read more »

Location

The small grants component of the USAID South Africa TB project has been very successful so far in supporting and building the capacity of local NGOs who are implementing interventions that strengthen DOTS. To date the project has funded 19 grantees under Wave One (initiated in 2010) and 18 under Wave Two (initiated in 2011).

URC has seen some outstanding work being carried out from our Wave One grantees, generating numerous success stories and best practices. One such success story is from a grant provided to Philanjalo in Umzinyathi (District 24), KwaZulu Natal in June 2010. Read more »

The annual 42nd Union Conference on Lung Health took place in Lille, France from the 24^th to 30^th November. The USAID South Africa TB project sent six representatives to conduct presentations, hold networking meetings and attend the URC breakaway session on Occupational Health Safety.

A total of seven poster presentations were made:

• Media to mainstream TB/HIV messages Presented by Tumi Mbengo
• Community Dialogues as a tool for stake holder commitments towards TB/HIV interventions Presented by Tumi Mbengo
• Empowering the Somali migrant community on TB awareness, care and treatment in a South African townships Presented by Thandeka Dayimani
• Effectiveness of data quality audits in recording and reporting of TB-HIV collaboration Presented by Vimbai Makwambeni
• Innovative TB management tool utilizing GoogleTMEarth and smart phone technology in eThekwini Presented by Dr. Claudio Marra
• Household contact tracing of MDR XDR tuberculosis (TB) patients in Msinga subdistrict, KwaZulu Natal Presented by Dr. Claudio Marra
• Support supervision, mentoring and coaching to improve TB/HIV programme performance in Ngaka Modiri Molema District, North West Province, South Africa Written by Mpho Ratshikana

Please see pdf attachments of their posters at the end of the full article.

Ms Thandeka Dayimani of the USAID TB Project explaining her poster on TB in Migrant Communities to a visitor.

Following the success of the first season of 4Play Sex Tips for Girls, a discussion guide has now been developed to reach those audiences in the most remote parts of the country.

In  September 2011, a total of  NGOs  11 were trained on how  to use the tool during a 2 day orientation workshop.

The discussion guide  contains a DVD and a full facilitators guide that  showcases the 4 main  storylines from the TV show on these 4 message areas:

• TB and HIV Co-infection
• Gender Based Violence
• HIV Prevention
• HIV Counselling and Testing

The NGO’s have now started using the tool in the field during focus group discussions with women’s groups.  They also provide further training for  other peer educators in their districts on the tool. 

The 4Play season two is in pre-production and  goes back on air in February 2012.