“If it hadn't been for the activist from the Local TB Response project who came to my house to check on my health, I would never have known that I had tuberculosis.
Despite my cough and night sweats, I haven't sought health care for a long time, because the health center is very far from my home and I don't have the resources to get there.”
This is the statement of Mr. José Ernesto, a tuberculosis patient living in the Vida Nova community, 30 km from the health unit in the main town of Nacala-a-Velha. He is satisfied with his treatment and with living with the activist, whom he considers to be a son that life has given him.José doesn't know how he would be today without the help of this dedicated professional.“As I was already a presumptive case, when the lab technicians confirmed it, I felt a sense of relief. With the advice I had already been receiving from the activist, I was convinced that I was on the right road to recovery.”
Mr. José points out that the treatment doesn't cost him anything, which was his biggest concern. “I don't have to spend money on transportation to the health unit, which is 30 km from my home. The activist himself collects the medicine and brings it to my son, who also helps me with this treatment. The big fear I had was that I would contaminate my eight children, but the activist explained all the necessary precautions to avoid this.”
José's story underlines the importance of the work of activists in the early detection and follow-up of tuberculosis patients, especially in rural and hard-to-reach areas. The involvement of activists not only facilitates access to treatment, but also provides emotional and educational support to patients and their families, contributing significantly to the effectiveness of treatment and the prevention of transmission of the disease.