Balaka schools armed against TB
Ministry of Health has intensified tuberculosis (TB) awareness in Balaka District by promoting the newly published TB sourcebook for primary schools.
The ministry’s National TB Control Program this week trained teachers and community health officials in the district on how to use the book titled Tuberclosis Sourcebook for Primary Schools in Malawi.
The district’s TB officer Thomas Biseck said the primary school syllabus does not tackle TB issues in much detail while expressing hope that the sourcebook will cover for that.
He was speaking at Kankau Primary School yesterday during one of the training sessions.
Biseck disclosed that Balaka is one of the districts worst hit by TB as in every 100 000 people, 112 are infected.
“We want to push the statistics to 20 infected per 100 000 people.
“One of the causes of TB spread is that there is knowledge gap. But once the children have been taught on the disease’s transmission and prevention, that is going to change because these children will also educate their communities,” he said.
Ernest Matengo, senior inspector of schools in Central West Education Division where Balaka falls, hailed the booklet as key to addressing the spread of TB in schools.
“TB is an airborne disease, so where there is a gathering like in schools, the risk of mass spread is high. This is why this booklet is important as it advocates heavily on prevention,” he said.
The 56-page booklet was developed by the National TB Control Programme and the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology. n
