THE Disaster and Environmental Management Trust (DEMT) has been contracted by the Stop TB Partnership/ UNOPS to implement a project called Promoting meaningful Community involvement in the Zimbabwe National TB Program through Community Disease Committees in Mutoko and Mudzi Rural Districts of Zimbabwe.

Speaking to HealthTimes, Romeo Chingezi, the project coordinator said both districts are giant mining areas, Mutoko produces over 70% of granite of granite output in Zimbabwe while Mudzi has over 5000 artisanal gold miners.

The sizeable incomes from mining are promoting sex work which is leading the spread of HIV and other STIs. These factors put communities in these two districts at an elevated of risk of contracting TB. DEMT has partnered with the Ministry of Health and the District Aids Council and identified Village Health Workers whom they are training on community based TB case finding,” said Chingezi.

He added that Village Health Workers will be deploy to screen people for TB in their respective communities using referral slips.
“It is envisaged that through active screening at Community level, high number of people will be able to access TB services, referred early to clinics for testing and initiate treatment early.”

https://healthtimes.co.zw/2022/04/29/local-ngo-takes-tb-fight-to-mining-communities/