17 Jun 2013

Xakao residents in the Okavango Sub-district have been urged to take part in the fight against the spread of Tuberculosis (TB).

Speaking at Xakao main kgotla during TB Day commemoration recently, the senior assistant council secretary (SACS) for Okavango Sub-district ,Mr Onthatile Mulelu advised residents that health departments had many programmes aimed at the prevention and control of TB in the country.

He said residents should take stock of themselves and find ways to intensify the fight against the spread of TB. Mr Mulelu said at least 95 per cent of Botswana population had access to health facilities such as clinics and hospitals within a radius of eight kilometres, therefore people should test for TB and HIV.

He also advised that they should improve prevention in their homes, schools, offices and buses and to use prevention measures such as avoiding overcrowding in public places, washing hands, opening windows and covering the mouth when coughing.

He further advised TB patients to also test for HIV since TB in most cases affected HIV positive people. Meanwhile, the regional TB/HIV coordinator, Ms Grace Sibanda noted that since TB medication could be taken at home, people should not default in their medication.

This, she said, would jeopardise the healing process and cause serious complications such as the disease becoming resistant to the drugs. ENDS