TB Alert supporting HIV patients with TB in Lusaka, Zambia

TB Alert is supporting a joint HIV/TB project called Bwafwano Home Based Care in Lusaka, Zambia. Bwafwano is a local word meaning ‘Let’s help each other’, and this is a wonderful example of local people volunteering time and effort to improve life for patients in their own community. The project offers a ray of hope to TB patients who would otherwise have little or no access to treatment. But it isn’t just about access to medicines – if the patient is a breadwinner, their family is offered training in income generating activities to enable them to survive and support the person through their treatment. Volunteers are trained to provide treatment, support and counselling to patients – everything from ensuring they take their drugs to helping them with household chores.

TB Alert’s past support has enabled Bwafwano to train these volunteers to help their fellow community members in Chazanga Compound (an area of Lusaka). Our support has also enabled Bwafwano to hold workshops for local Community Leaders in new areas of Lusaka (for example local Chiefs, church leaders, police, prominent business people and others) to teach them about TB and HIV, and the importance of Bwafwano’s work. The workshops aim not only to raise awareness and help these local “opinion formers” to understand the importance of their role in fighting stigma and discrimination in their community, but also to enable them to recruit more volunteers for the project, so that Bwafwano can extend its vital lifesaving work to other areas of the city.

Read first hand reports from the Bwafwano volunteers

Read about Roda Tembo, a Bwafwano patient

Read about Chimwemwe - a baby with TB

Read about the Bwafwano Nutrition Programme

Read about Peer Educators at Bwafwano raising awareness of TB/HIV

Read about Margaret and Loveness, two volunteers who are living positively