The Government of Zimbabwe recently commissioned 8 mobile x-ray trucks though support from Global Fund of which the Union Zimbabwe Trust is a sub-recipient. The trucks, handed over during belated World TB Day commemorations in Chiweshe are expected to ensure TB services are brought closer to remote communities.
Addressing thousands at the commemorations, the Minister of Health and Child Care and Vice President of Zimbabwe, Dr Constantino Chiwenga highlighted government commitment to ending TB noting that, a free TB Zimbabwe will contribute to the country’s vision 2030.
“In order to promote sustainability and foster ownership at the sun-national levels, this innovation was decentralised to the provincial level, where each province will be equipped with a mobile x-ray truck,” Dr Chiwenga said.
“I am happy to officially hand over the 8 x-ray trucks to our rural provinces. This is especially critical in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic that has put TB control strategies progress at risk and to ensure equitable access to prevention and care in line with the government’s National Health Strategy.”
The trucks to be given to the provinces are equipped with a laboratory to screen for TB and other conditions such as HIV, malaria, cancer and diabetes.
The International Union against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease implemented the targeted screening for active TB project among high risk communities using mobile X-ray trucks funded by Global Fund from January 2018 to December 2020. A memorandum of understanding signed between the International Union and Global Fund in June 2020 resulted in the Union Zimbabwe Trust (UZT) taking over the implementation as sub-recipient of the grant.
The USAID supported Kunda-Nqob’ iTB (KN-TB) project also participated in the belated World TB Day commemorations with MoHCC Minister visiting the KN-TB exhibition booth to get an appreciation of the project intervention in the 8 project districts.
USAID, through the Tuberculosis Local Organization Network (TB-LON) funding mechanism is supporting a national TB-HIV response in Zimbabwe in 8 districts across three provinces – Masvingo, Matebeleland South and Midlands selected on account of high disease burden, poor TB treatment outcomes and a concentration of artisanal small-scale miners – a risk group for TB.
VP Chiwenga also launched the strategic framework for Tuberculosis and HIV prevention, treatment, care and support public-private partnership, 2021-2025 that is expected to guide TB response in the country.
“As a country, we affirm our commitment to the achievement of the declaration signed in 2018 to end TB. We cannot afford to put our guard down, let us put all hands on the deck and push ourselves to the last mile. A TB-free Zimbabwe is possible, only if we all work together,” Dr Chiwenga said.
