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Cash Incentives Help Fight MDR TB

The National TB and Leprosy Elimination Program says the provision of transport money to all the 165 patients currently on multidrug resistant (MDR) TB is helping them not to skip medical treatment.

Coordinator for MDR TB treatment Yusuf Sayidi told Zodiak Online that the patients are no longer missing their appointments with doctors.

"We conduct monthly clinics on MDR TBs to make sure they are taking medication, to identify side effects and to manage the side effects before their condition worsens," he explained, “So provision of transport money is helping them to visit health facilities in good time to collect medication and for checkup.”

He said, currently, Malawi has 165 patients:103 males and 62 females, on MDR TB treatment.

Sayidi said, the number of men suffering from MDR TB is higher than that of women because of lifestyle issues, such as frequent travel.

Psychosocial & Nutrition Support Officer Chrissy Padoko said they are also providing food items to all MDR TB patients in the country.

"We are providing cooking oil, beans, Likuni Phala, maize flour, sugar and milk to all 160 MDR TB patients in the country. These patients take strong drugs hence the provision of food items to them every six month to improve their health.

She also said the MDR TB patients are being provided with psycho social support.

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Last modified on Tuesday, 13/12/2022

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