Windhoek
Some tuberculosis (TB) patients tend to default on taking their medication as a result of stigma and discrimination.
A Penduka TB field supervisor on Wednesday said some of the patients stop taking their medication for fear of discrimination as the disease is linked to HIV/AIDS.
Khomas Region has about 1 330 TB patients, according to statistics from the Ministry of Health.
“People normally don’t want to associate with people who have TB. We normally discriminate against people when they tell us the truth. When somebody comes to you they are looking for support and not discrimination,” explained Amakali.
Amakali, who spoke at a wellness event at the Ministry of Mines and Energy, also said there are nine spots in Windhoek where patients who have TB are daily encouraged and observed as they take their medication.
She told New Era that the majority of people living with TB in Windhoek are those residing in informal settlements, particularly the Tobias Hainyeko and Moses Garoeb constituencies.
“Informal settlements are growing on a daily basis and there are no windows in shacks, so if there is someone who has TB in a room and there is no ventilation the TB bacteria is likely to be spread when the one who has TB coughs,” she said. She also touched on the importance of maintaining hygiene and covering the mouth when coughing.