Active case finding, medication adherence support, community-based detection, and MDR-TB monitoring to eliminate tuberculosis as a public health threat in Dar es Salaam.
Tuberculosis kills more people in Tanzania than any other single infectious disease โ more than malaria, more than HIV when measured per diagnosis. It disproportionately affects the urban poor, where overcrowded housing, malnutrition, and HIV co-infection accelerate transmission and mortality.
Incomplete treatment courses breed drug-resistant strains. MDR-TB requires 18โ24 months of toxic second-line drugs costing 100ร more per patient. Prevention through adherence support is critical.
From active case finding through full treatment completion โ a closed-loop system designed to leave no TB patient behind.
We do not wait for patients to present with symptoms. Community health workers proactively screen household contacts, HIV-positive individuals, and others at high risk through door-to-door campaigns.
Direct Observed Therapy (DOT) is the gold standard for TB treatment. Our community-based DOT workers support patients through the full 6โ8 month treatment course, reducing default rates dramatically.
Regular clinical reviews track treatment response and detect side effects early. Monthly sputum smear tests and chest assessments ensure patients are progressing toward cure.
Most TB transmission happens before diagnosis. Our community detection programme trains local volunteers to identify symptomatic individuals and facilitate rapid access to testing.
Community volunteers and health workers screen households in high-burden wards, identifying symptomatic individuals and fast-tracking them for Gene Xpert diagnosis within 72 hours.
Confirmed TB patients are enrolled in our community-based DOT programme. A dedicated support worker visits daily, monitors adherence, and provides nutritional and psychosocial support.
At months 2, 5, and 6 of treatment, sputum tests confirm negative conversion. Cured patients are tracked for 12 months post-treatment to detect relapse early.
"Our community-based DOT model achieved an 89% treatment success rate โ 16 points above the national average."
โ Daav TB Programme Outcome Review, 2024
$40 funds one month of community DOT support. Incomplete treatment creates drug resistance โ your donation helps patients finish.