U Kyaw Tint is a community facilitator from the Myanmar Health Assistant Association’s (MHAA), ‘Stop TB Fight TB Together’ project in Myithar Township. U Kyaw Tint recounts memories of his lifelong service devoted to the fight against TB in Myanmar.
“I remember when Aung San TB hospital in Insein Yangon and the Mandalay TB hospitals were the only places where TB patients from all over the country could seek treatment and care. In those days, some families from remote and far away villages were not always able to accompany their family members to attend to their basic needs while they were receiving treatment. I have seen such patients end up in the street asking for money, going from shop to shop, and some even passed away.” U Kyaw Tint says, as he cannot help feeling sorry for those unfortunate patients.
However, today there is good reason for U Kyaw Tint to feel relieved as he makes preparation at the MHAA office in Myithar Township to hold a health education session in Thotan village. With support from the Global Fund, the MHAA TB project has been bringing life-saving TB treatment to patients who previously remained unreached in remote villages.
The project raises awareness of the disease, and mobilizes and empowers these communities to promote early treatment seeking for TB.
The MHAA ‘Stop TB, Fight TB Together’ project is a well-organized community based TB intervention, which provides travel allowances for presumptive TB cases, as well as nutritional support and care packages to notified TB patients. It also provides TB health education, from which the public has gained valuable knowledge on prevention, treatment and cure of TB. Due to increased utilization of DOTS services, MHAA’s project in Myithar Township has successfully treated 60 TB patients, including some from far away, remote villages, within one year.
On arriving at Thotan village, U Kyaw Tint greets U Pe. “How are you U Pe? You have gained weight and look so fresh! How is your appetite?,” he asks. “Dear Sayar his appetite has improved so much that he could eat three to four meals a day,” interjects U Pe’s wife Daw Yee, beaming with satisfaction. Their pretty daughter Sabei is also smiling, holding flowers in her hands.
U Pe is a carpenter from Thotan village. He could no longer work due to his illness and his family was going through a tough time. Sabei had to quit school to work to support the family’s income and her father’s worsening illness. They went from clinic to clinic and from pharmacy to pharmacy but could not get proper treatment, and U Pe became very thin.
A few months ago, U Kyaw Tint had arrived for the first time at Thotan village together with the community TB volunteer Daw Myint Myint San, to organize a TB health education session as requested by the project officer.
On that day, U Pe’s fortune turned around when he attended U Kyaw Tint’s health education session. Through the TB health education and skilful counselling to promote early treatment seeking for TB, U Pe became convinced of the need to have his sputum tested for TB. And when his sputum test turned out to be positive, he was started on anti-TB treatment.
U Pe has already completed two months on anti-TB treatment and his month-2 sputum test result was negative. His health has much improved and he can even perform light work, such as watering Daw Yee’s flower beds. Sabei takes the flowers to sell at Ah Yee Thar Hla’s shop at the other side of the village on her way to school.
The Global Fund supported MHAA TB project has helped lift the burden of TB from U Pe’s family. U Kyaw Tint feels rewarded, even overwhelmed with joy and satisfaction to witness their healthy, happy and peaceful family life, just like the blossoming white flowers in their garden.
“My wholehearted thanks goes to the donors from around the world, the Global Fund, UNOPS-PR and MHAA’s ‘Stop TB, Fight TB Together’ project, on behalf of all those whose lives have been saved, including U Pe and his family, all TB patients and their families, all people of Myithar Township and of Myanmar.”
MHAA’s ‘Stop TB, Fight TB Together’ project has been running since 2011 (the project in Myithar Township started in 2015) with support from the Global Fund.
