{"id":3062,"date":"2024-03-20T16:39:47","date_gmt":"2024-03-20T20:39:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/amrefcanada.org\/?p=3062"},"modified":"2024-03-20T16:39:47","modified_gmt":"2024-03-20T20:39:47","slug":"overcoming-tuberculosis-bi-hawas-journey-from-tb-survivor-to-community-health-champion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/amrefcanada.org\/our-stories\/overcoming-tuberculosis-bi-hawas-journey-from-tb-survivor-to-community-health-champion\/","title":{"rendered":"Overcoming Tuberculosis: Bi Hawa’s Journey from TB Survivor to Community Health Champion"},"content":{"rendered":"
In the rustic, closely-knit community of Kibweni, west of Zanzibar Island, where the houses huddle together, and the air carries the scent of the sea, Bi Hawa Mohammed’s story unfolds\u2014a narrative of resilience, care, and eventual triumph over Tuberculosis (TB).<\/p>\n
World Tuberculosis Day highlights the critical efforts of communities and organizations in the fight against this pervasive disease, and Bi Hawa’s journey is a testament to the power of community-centred health initiatives spearheaded by Amref Health Africa.<\/p>\n
Bi Hawa’s ordeal began with her sister’s persistent cough, a symptom often dismissed as benign but was, in this case, the precursor of TB. Despite the disease’s highly effective treatment options, TB remains a formidable adversary in low-income communities, thriving under conditions of malnutrition, inadequate healthcare, and congested living environments.<\/p>\n
Kibweni, with its rustic charm, is also a breeding ground for such diseases, exacerbated by the shared living conditions that make it easier for infections like TB to spread. Bi Hawa, a widow, a mother, and a small-scale entrepreneur, found herself at the epicentre of this challenge, not just battling the disease’s toll on her family’s health but also its economic and social repercussions.<\/p>\n
Caring for her sister, who suffered from TB alongside a debilitating stroke, was a testament to Bi Hawa’s strength and resilience. The stigma surrounding TB, coupled with the economic strain of being the sole provider, brought to light the multifaceted impact of the disease on families. It’s a scenario all too familiar in communities like Kibweni, where the specter of TB looms large, its toll measured not just in health but in the very fabric of family and community life.<\/p>\n
The turning point for Bi Hawa came with the intervention of Amref Health Africa. Through its community-centered approach, Amref is on the frontlines, battling TB by enhancing surveillance, early detection, and treatment. Bi Hawa’s encounter with healthcare workers, supported by Amref, marked the beginning of her recovery and her journey towards becoming a beacon of hope in her community.<\/p>\n
The home visits and the education she received on TB management were pivotal, not only in her treatment but in fostering an environment where the disease’s spread could be curtailed. This strategy is crucial in places like Kibweni, where the risk of drug-resistant TB is heightened by prescription mismanagement and where the communal lifestyle necessitates vigilant community health measures.<\/p>\n