Ma Thida, who is 35 years old and from Ma Gyee Pin Su village in Meiktilar Township would like to express her words of joy about how volunteers and staff from MHAA's "Stop TB, Fight TB Together Project" enabled her to save her mother's life.
"My name is Ma Thida. I live at Ma Gyee Pin Su village in Meiktilar township where I grew up. I was educated up to middle school and earn my living from plantation and farming to support my aging mother and my three children.
"My mother started to have a frequent cough eight or nine months ago. Despite trying all local medications available in the village shops, her cough was not relieved. To make her condition worse, she started to lose her appetite and lose weight. Compounded by hardships from our daily struggle to survive, my mother's condition deteriorated and she became bed bound.
"Due to lack of access to health messages, our only source of information was from friends and neighbours in the village. Although I suspected TB as the cause of my mother's cough, I pulled back from seeking proper treatment as there were rumours that a TB patient in the village had died from taking anti-TB medications. I felt completely powerless to help my bed-ridden mother and spent my miserable life in tears—crying day and night from fear of losing my mother.
"I think it is my and my mother's fate that good fortune was brought to our door. A friend of mine, a community health volunteer from MHAA's "Stop TB, Fight TB Together Project", learnt about my mother's condition and came to our house. She assured us that my mother would fully recover after proper treatment and that they were on hand to give all needed support. However, our ignorance from lack of health knowledge and misconceptions from rumours prevented us from taking proper treatment.
"In spite of difficulties to overcome our misconceptions, Ma Ohmar Kyi would not give up and her commitment made her continue on with patience until she could convince us. I can still remember her sincere yet powerful words that convinced my mother and completely won her trust.
"A May Gyee (elderly mother), if you would like to stay longer with your grandchildren and do not want them get infected with germs from you, please send your sputum for check-up and we are on hand to support you until you fully recover. The transport costs will be fully covered by MHAA's "Stop TB, Fight TB Together Project" and we are always ready to help you. I can assure that your illness will be completely cured and you can enjoy your life happily with your beloved grandchildren.
"The prospect of staying a long healthy life with her grandchildren prompted my mother to make the life-saving decision to take the necessary investigation and treatment. Ma Ohmar Kyi supported us in all possible ways: for sending sputum cups for check-up, transport cost for going to the hospital, taking regular anti-TB medications including nutritional support for my elderly mother during treatment.
"As is clear from the experience of my mother, anti-TB treatment for six months has completely cured her illness. The quality of my mother's life has improved and once again, she can enjoy her life happily with her grandchildren. I can only say "I have saved my mother now" with the good will and dedicated service rendered by Sayars and Sayarmas from MHAA's "Stop TB, Fight TB Together Project" supported by the Global Fund."
Since 2011, MHAA has been implementing "Stop TB, Fight TB Together Project" in Meiktilar, Mahlaing and Tharzi townships in the dry region of central Myanmar where TB prevalence is high. The existing project coverage is successfully being expanded to Wundwin, Seik Phyu, Myaing and Pakokku townships from 2013 onwards.
