My name is Mr. Modisanyane Didibeng, from Serowe, I am 85 years old and a tuberculosis (TB) survivor.

A few years ago I was working in the mines in South Africa before I moved back home where I found a job at Botswana Railways. Soon after moving back I realized that I wasn’t feeling well. I had excruciating chest pains when coughing and I had no appetite. My skin was also peeling so I went to the hospital to seek for medical attention. Upon arrival the doctors did various tests but could not diagnose what was the problem. I was given medicines and I was sent home, but after sometime I returned to a different hospital to do another test but still it proved futile as they could not see anything from my results. Once again I went home without being diagnosed but the situation was worsening every day. I got to a point where I lost hope because medicine could not help me at all.

My third attempt to Serowe Nutrition Clinic last year June 2017, finally bared fruits because when I was screened they discovered that I had TB. The results of my sputum test which was done showed that I was positive for TB. As scary as it is to discover that you have a disease like TB, I was relieved because now the doctors managed to diagnose the problem. A ray of hope came, I was now close to my breakthrough of receiving the necessary treatment I needed and longed for, so the burden I suffered for a long time was finally close to being uplifted.

After being diagnosed Didibeng was immediately introduced to treatment. The first 14 days which is termed the initial phase of treatment, he had to take a pill on daily basis at the hospital. It is critical for the patient to take a pill at the hospital so that doctors can monitor the patient closely for side effects caused by the drugs. From this phase the patient will then be given a different pill for a period of two months and can take it from the comfort of his house. If there are no side effects the patient is then transitioned to the continuation phase until completing treatment which usually lasts six months. After five months and two weeks in treatment another sputum is taken to check if TB is still there or the patient is cured, if the results is negative it shows that the patient is healed.

Ms. Mogomotsi Kabelo who is a Community Treatment Supporter from BOCAIP-Serowe Nutrition Clinic was always responsible for seeing Didibeng throughout his treatment phase. She shares that, “Immediately after I screened Didibeng and he was introduced to treatment I made sure that I educated him on TB and how he can take care of himself and ensure that he prevents himself from infecting his family members with TB. I then went to his family to do contact tracing to screen them if they have TB since it is airborne and they have been in contact with Didibeng. I screened them and they were all negative” Kabelo shared. Though they were negative, there was a five year old child who was given treatment to prevent her from contracting the disease and to avoid complications as her immune system is still weak therefore can be infected easily. I also gave his family information on TB on how to support their father through his treatment and not isolate him. I shared with them the precautions measures to exercise to ensure that they do not contract TB when doing so.

Didibeng exclaims “It has been two months since I completed my treatment and I am really thrilled to have overcame this anguish that tormented me for a long time. I feel like life have entered my soul once again and I have regained my strength as now I can eat since my appetite has been restored. My family is now happy to see me well and are no longer worried like before. I really appreciate the service I have received through this TB/ Care Support initiative implemented by BOCAIP on behalf of ACHAP and would like to encourage others who are reluctant to seek help so that they beat this TB because as deadly as it is, it is curable” shared ecstatic Didibeng.

Didibeng after he completed his TB treatment and was fully recovered, he decided to become a TB/HIV support group member. “I decided to be part of the team in order to sensitise and educate my community members on TB. I wanted to encourage TB patients to be faithful to their medication and ensure that they complete their treatment” He said.