Post TB Disability
Through the project, it has been observed that one of the activities, specially designed to rehabilitate the lungs through physical exercises, help to restore lungs ravaged by tuberculosis. With unquestionable evidences like that, the project seeks to uncover simple ways that can be used to deal with post TB disabilities, by presenting models developed and tested in the project lifetime.
NNO Project
People who have suffered from Tuberculosis sometimes have complications either due to the medication or the sickness itself.
Research indicates that some complain of shortness of breath, hearing problems or general body weakness after completing TB treatment. In some instances, even psychological disabilities have been observed. Unfortunately, presently there’s little or nothing that is done to care for and support people who have suffered from TB.
It is with this purpose of filling that gap that the post-TB disability project rolled out in November, 2019. It hinges on the main objective of making sure that the burden of TB is reduced in Malawi, and the specific objectives which are: to ensure that former TB patients’ rights are a priority in Malawi, the health system is able to manage patients with post-TB disability, post-TB patients with disability are reached with social support and that post-TB patients with disability are reached with medical rehabilitation.
This is a research-like project as it is the first of its kind in Malawi. There are a number of activities under this project which are seeking to explore how post TB disabilities can best be handled. For instance, through the project, it has been observed that one of the activities, specially designed to rehabilitate the lungs through physical exercises, help to restore lungs ravaged by tuberculosis. With unquestionable evidences like that, the project seeks to uncover simple ways that can be used to deal with post TB disabilities, by presenting models developed and tested in the project lifetime.
The project targets to train about 1050 health care workers and volunteers (from NONM and Paradiso) in Inclusive Health Communication by 2022, when it will be closing.
Paradiso Tuberculosis Patient Trust and the National Organisation of Nurses and Midwives of Malawi (NONM) are the organisations executing this project with funding from Norad through LHL International. The project aligns with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) four and eight and the National Policy on Equalisation of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities (NPEOPD) in Malawi.