After months of diagnostic delay...Migrant worker could access TB services only when a community health worker met him
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Shobha Shukla and Bobby Ramakant (CNS)
Contd from previous issue
As there is always a likelihood of TB infection in the lungs to spread to others, Shanti went with Manjit to his home and counselled his wife to get herself and their three daughters screened for TB. His wife was initially reluctant to go for a TB test as none of them had any TB symptoms. But upon Shanti’s insistence she got convinced to take a free TB test. All tested negative except for one of the daughters who was found positive for TB of the lungs.
When she was taken to GTB Hospital for CBNAAT molecular test and LPA drug susceptibility test, her condition became so serious that she had to be admitted in the hospital for over two weeks. A CT scan later confirmed that she had abdominal TB too (in addition to TB of the lungs). Her treatment had also begun on the same day that she got diagnosed with TB.
It was only through Shanti’s untiring efforts, that Manjit and his 10-year-old daughter could get diagnosed with TB and receive treatment, care, and support all through their therapy.
Both got their medicines from the nearest dispensary in New Seemapuri.
“I defeated TB” says Manjit
Manjit successfully completed his 6 months long TB treatment on 1st of April 2024, and has tested TB free. “I defeated TB,” he said. His daughter is on the path of recovery and her treatment is hopefully about to complete later this month – subject to her test reports.
Shanti has been a pillar of support to Manjit during his entire treatment regimen. “Shanti didi (didi is a Hindi word for sister) helped me access all the available medical facilities, like diagnosis and timely treatment, and helped me get food ration supplements. I too followed the doctor’s instructions as I was determined to defeat this enemy called TB. I religiously ate my medicines (3 pills a day) on time. I had no prior knowledge about this disease when it struck me. But thanks to Shanti didi and thanks to my doctors, I have learned a lot about TB and have also become treatment literate” said Manjit.
Unlike many other TB patients, Manjit was fortunate enough to not have faced any stigma or discrimination from his friends, co-workers, or his employer. He received their support and solidarity all through his treatment.
Community health workers are critical link between vulnerable people and TB services
Shanti helped Manjit and his daughter to access social support provided by the government of India as well as by other NGOs. For instance, she helped them complete the formalities so that each of them could get direct benefit transfer under Indian government’s Ni-kshay Poshan Yojna and receive INR 500 every month during their treatment in their bank accounts.
She gave them moral support to bear with the side effects of TB medication. They too responded in a very positive manner and did not miss any dose of medicine.
The likes of Shanti are engaged in the daunting task of finding TB in the unreached populations –referred to as the key and vulnerable populations, such as, homeless, migrants, slum dwellers, daily wage earners- and connecting them with the healthcare system. As per the India TB Report 2024, key and vulnerable populations are those with heightened exposure to TB bacilli, constrained access to health services on account of socio-economic determinants of health, or an elevated risk of TB due to compromised immune function.
Shanti’s work at Humana People to People India is part of LEAD (Leveraging, Engaging and Advocating to Disrupt TB Transmission) project, supported by United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc. (JSI), in close coordination with Indian government’s National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP).
“I work for an NGO. But this is not just a job for me. It gives me a lot of happiness and satisfaction for being able to do something for our fellow human beings who may be living in dehumanising conditions. Manjit was finding it difficult to walk when I had first met him and now, he can comfortably walk and go around his daily livelihood and support his family. This gives me a lot of strength to keep doing what we do. This is the driving force why we try our best to make the area we are allotted to work in, becomes TB free,” said Shanti.
Manjit’s mantra is Never Say Die. “One must have self confidence that he/ she/ they can fight TB (or for that matter any other disease). If I had become nervous and dejected and lost confidence about getting cured, it would have become difficult. I gave the disease a good fight - ate my medicines on time and kept my morale and confidence high - that I will get cured. And I won the battle. I defeated TB,” said Manjit.
Manjit is not only a TB survivor but also a TB champion who proactively goes to health awareness camps to encourage those with symptoms to get screened for TB, and those with TB disease to stay strong, seek support and finish the therapy.
The indomitable spirit of Manjit and the unstinted support of Shanti bear testimony to the fact that “Yes, we can end TB.”
(Shobha Shukla and Bobby Ramakant co-lead the editorial of CNS (Citizen News Service) and on the governing board of Global Antimicrobial Resistance Media Alliance (GAMA) and Asia Pacific Media Alliance for Health and Development (APCAT Media). Follow them on Twitter @shobha1shukla and @bobbyramakant)
Contd from previous issue
As there is always a likelihood of TB infection in the lungs to spread to others, Shanti went with Manjit to his home and counselled his wife to get herself and their three daughters screened for TB. His wife was initially reluctant to go for a TB test as none of them had any TB symptoms. But upon Shanti’s insistence she got convinced to take a free TB test. All tested negative except for one of the daughters who was found positive for TB of the lungs.
When she was taken to GTB Hospital for CBNAAT molecular test and LPA drug susceptibility test, her condition became so serious that she had to be admitted in the hospital for over two weeks. A CT scan later confirmed that she had abdominal TB too (in addition to TB of the lungs). Her treatment had also begun on the same day that she got diagnosed with TB.
It was only through Shanti’s untiring efforts, that Manjit and his 10-year-old daughter could get diagnosed with TB and receive treatment, care, and support all through their therapy.
Both got their medicines from the nearest dispensary in New Seemapuri.
“I defeated TB” says Manjit
Manjit successfully completed his 6 months long TB treatment on 1st of April 2024, and has tested TB free. “I defeated TB,” he said. His daughter is on the path of recovery and her treatment is hopefully about to complete later this month – subject to her test reports.
Shanti has been a pillar of support to Manjit during his entire treatment regimen. “Shanti didi (didi is a Hindi word for sister) helped me access all the available medical facilities, like diagnosis and timely treatment, and helped me get food ration supplements. I too followed the doctor’s instructions as I was determined to defeat this enemy called TB. I religiously ate my medicines (3 pills a day) on time. I had no prior knowledge about this disease when it struck me. But thanks to Shanti didi and thanks to my doctors, I have learned a lot about TB and have also become treatment literate” said Manjit.
Unlike many other TB patients, Manjit was fortunate enough to not have faced any stigma or discrimination from his friends, co-workers, or his employer. He received their support and solidarity all through his treatment.
Community health workers are critical link between vulnerable people and TB services
Shanti helped Manjit and his daughter to access social support provided by the government of India as well as by other NGOs. For instance, she helped them complete the formalities so that each of them could get direct benefit transfer under Indian government’s Ni-kshay Poshan Yojna and receive INR 500 every month during their treatment in their bank accounts.
She gave them moral support to bear with the side effects of TB medication. They too responded in a very positive manner and did not miss any dose of medicine.
The likes of Shanti are engaged in the daunting task of finding TB in the unreached populations –referred to as the key and vulnerable populations, such as, homeless, migrants, slum dwellers, daily wage earners- and connecting them with the healthcare system. As per the India TB Report 2024, key and vulnerable populations are those with heightened exposure to TB bacilli, constrained access to health services on account of socio-economic determinants of health, or an elevated risk of TB due to compromised immune function.
Shanti’s work at Humana People to People India is part of LEAD (Leveraging, Engaging and Advocating to Disrupt TB Transmission) project, supported by United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc. (JSI), in close coordination with Indian government’s National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP).
“I work for an NGO. But this is not just a job for me. It gives me a lot of happiness and satisfaction for being able to do something for our fellow human beings who may be living in dehumanising conditions. Manjit was finding it difficult to walk when I had first met him and now, he can comfortably walk and go around his daily livelihood and support his family. This gives me a lot of strength to keep doing what we do. This is the driving force why we try our best to make the area we are allotted to work in, becomes TB free,” said Shanti.
Manjit’s mantra is Never Say Die. “One must have self confidence that he/ she/ they can fight TB (or for that matter any other disease). If I had become nervous and dejected and lost confidence about getting cured, it would have become difficult. I gave the disease a good fight - ate my medicines on time and kept my morale and confidence high - that I will get cured. And I won the battle. I defeated TB,” said Manjit.
Manjit is not only a TB survivor but also a TB champion who proactively goes to health awareness camps to encourage those with symptoms to get screened for TB, and those with TB disease to stay strong, seek support and finish the therapy.
The indomitable spirit of Manjit and the unstinted support of Shanti bear testimony to the fact that “Yes, we can end TB.”
(Shobha Shukla and Bobby Ramakant co-lead the editorial of CNS (Citizen News Service) and on the governing board of Global Antimicrobial Resistance Media Alliance (GAMA) and Asia Pacific Media Alliance for Health and Development (APCAT Media). Follow them on Twitter @shobha1shukla and @bobbyramakant)