Communities with TB patients
get transported to hospital for
in preparation for compensation
Mbabane: A 47-year old man from the Manzini region with a known chronic illness died of COVID-19 related complications on Sunday, said the Minister of Health Senator Lizzie Nkosi in one of her periodic updates. This could easily have been an ex mineworker with occupational health illnesses such as Silicosis or TB. Hundreds of Tuberculosis presumptive ex mineworkers are at high risk of contracting COVID-19 which upunitl this week is responsible for over 4000 positive cases and over 80 deaths eSwatini.
Multisectoral approach efforts to ensure that not only are ex-mineworkers monitored of their preconditions, are being assisted nationwide with free transport from their communities to Occupational health Service centres such as the one in Manzini at the Nazarene Raleigh Fitkin Memorial Hospital.
This week alone, Eswatini National Ex Mineworkers Association (ESNEMA) working within the Manzini region with two other community outreach partners (Kwakha Indvodza in the Hhohho region and the Swaziland Migrant Mine Workers Association (SWAMMIWA), Shiselweni) transported 47 presumptive TB cases for regular medical check-up from their homes to the RFM Hospital where they were they monitored of their conditions and assisted medically to live a normal life with such conditions.
Tuberculosis (TB) is a significant problem in the mining industry in Southern Africa. In South Africa alone, TB rates within the mining workforce are estimated at 2,500-3,000 cases per 100,000 individuals. This incidence is 10 times the WHO threshold for a health emergency, and is also nearly three times the incidence rate in the general population.
Mr Sipho Siyaya, coordinating the activity within ESNEMA emphasised the need for exmine workers to go or periodic checkup of their TB and Silicosis progression in order to get proper medical care.
“This week alone, we managed to bring to the hospital 47 with presumptive TB and 275 of contacts including close family members were screened through case-finding activities from Lundzi, Phondo and Mpuluzi communities,” he said.
Grassroots organisations such as ESNEMA’s being roped in the implementation of the TB in the Mining Sector Phase II (TIMS II) project aim to advance rights and improved livelihoods of ex mineworkers, spouses and their entire families.
“We are bringing them to hospital for check-ups with the project aim to facilitiate their fair share of compensation for having worked in the mines so long and getting sick while at work. But to be compensated, ex mineworkers need to go through the check-up process,” Siyaya said.
This is important to know if you were affected to what extend by working on the mines.
Eswatini has contributed together with Mozambique and Lesotho half a million mineworkers who are at risk of contracting TB due to prolonged exposure to silica dust, poor living conditions, and high HIV prevalence in mining communities.
Circular movements of mineworkers has led to a number of challenges including poor cross-border health referral systems. Though TB is curable, lack of TB treatment adherence adversely contributes to the incidence of drug resistant strains such as multidrug resistant (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) TB in the sub-region.
Eswatini has been included to implement the TIMS Phase II project through Safaids and is being implemented in three regions; Manzini, Lubombo and Shiselweni.
The goal of the project is to contribute towards the reduction of the TB burden in the mining sector in Southern African countries.
Objectives
1. Mahlangatja
2. Ngwempisi
3. Ntontozi
4. Lamgabhi
5. Lobamaba lomdzala
6. Mhlambanyatsi
7. Phondo
For more information, contact
Mr Sipho Siyaya
ESNEMA Coordinator
7605 7437
Multisectoral approach efforts to ensure that not only are ex-mineworkers monitored of their preconditions, are being assisted nationwide with free transport from their communities to Occupational health Service centres such as the one in Manzini at the Nazarene Raleigh Fitkin Memorial Hospital.
This week alone, Eswatini National Ex Mineworkers Association (ESNEMA) working within the Manzini region with two other community outreach partners (Kwakha Indvodza in the Hhohho region and the Swaziland Migrant Mine Workers Association (SWAMMIWA), Shiselweni) transported 47 presumptive TB cases for regular medical check-up from their homes to the RFM Hospital where they were they monitored of their conditions and assisted medically to live a normal life with such conditions.
Tuberculosis (TB) is a significant problem in the mining industry in Southern Africa. In South Africa alone, TB rates within the mining workforce are estimated at 2,500-3,000 cases per 100,000 individuals. This incidence is 10 times the WHO threshold for a health emergency, and is also nearly three times the incidence rate in the general population.
Mr Sipho Siyaya, coordinating the activity within ESNEMA emphasised the need for exmine workers to go or periodic checkup of their TB and Silicosis progression in order to get proper medical care.
“This week alone, we managed to bring to the hospital 47 with presumptive TB and 275 of contacts including close family members were screened through case-finding activities from Lundzi, Phondo and Mpuluzi communities,” he said.
Grassroots organisations such as ESNEMA’s being roped in the implementation of the TB in the Mining Sector Phase II (TIMS II) project aim to advance rights and improved livelihoods of ex mineworkers, spouses and their entire families.
“We are bringing them to hospital for check-ups with the project aim to facilitiate their fair share of compensation for having worked in the mines so long and getting sick while at work. But to be compensated, ex mineworkers need to go through the check-up process,” Siyaya said.
This is important to know if you were affected to what extend by working on the mines.
Eswatini has contributed together with Mozambique and Lesotho half a million mineworkers who are at risk of contracting TB due to prolonged exposure to silica dust, poor living conditions, and high HIV prevalence in mining communities.
Circular movements of mineworkers has led to a number of challenges including poor cross-border health referral systems. Though TB is curable, lack of TB treatment adherence adversely contributes to the incidence of drug resistant strains such as multidrug resistant (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) TB in the sub-region.
Eswatini has been included to implement the TIMS Phase II project through Safaids and is being implemented in three regions; Manzini, Lubombo and Shiselweni.
The goal of the project is to contribute towards the reduction of the TB burden in the mining sector in Southern African countries.
Objectives
- To increase TB case finding among the key populations in the mining sector in Southern Africa
- To increase the proportion of key populations on TB treatment that complete their treatment
- To increase the proportion of key populations with TB that are tested for HIV and enrolled for ART
- To increase access to information and education on TB prevention, care and treatment.
- To improve accountability of key institutions addressing TB, silicosis and HIV in the mining Sector
- Ex miners’ workers
- Current miner workers
- Families of both current and ex miner workers
- Communities around the mines and communities in sending labour areas
- HIV diagnosis and treatment initiation among TB-infected patients
- Access to information and education on TB prevention, care and treatment
- Accountability of key institutions addressing TB, silicosis and HIV
- TB case finding
- TB treatment completion
1. Mahlangatja
2. Ngwempisi
3. Ntontozi
4. Lamgabhi
5. Lobamaba lomdzala
6. Mhlambanyatsi
7. Phondo
For more information, contact
Mr Sipho Siyaya
ESNEMA Coordinator
7605 7437
