A second crop of 20 TB Champions drawn from all over the Zimbabwe was recently recruited and trained in Harare to lead in the broad advocacy work whose aim is to see improved access to integrated TB and HIV services particularly screening and treatment of the students and the youths.  

The latest training of TB champions brings the total to 70 trained TB advocates with the first 50 having been trained in 2022.

The training was facilitated by TB communications and advocacy expert Andrew Nyambo who is serving in the Ministry of Health and Child Care among other conversant architects.

Addressing delegates during the training in the capital, Nyambo implored TB champions to work closely with other working groups and the Ministry of Health in a collaborative style forming synergies with other key stakeholders like the Parliament of Zimbabwe and civil society organisations.

TB champions are essential to SAYWHAT’s TB programming work in both communities and at tertiary institutions around Zimbabwe as their role is to conscientize their peers through various outreach programs.

Tb patients usually face stigma and discrimination with young women at the receiving at end in most instances.

Among other issues, TB champions were trained on advocacy communication skills and also on how to value their lives.

 TB is caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The bacteria usually attack the lungs, but it can also attack any part of the body such as the kidney, spine, and brain.

SAYWHAT is working together with StopTB Partnership, the Ministry of Health and Child Care in Zimbabwe and other national and regional partners in the fight to end TB.