TB patients face catastrophic costs: Muinjangue

By Michael Uugwanga

DEPUTY Health Minister Esther Muinjangue says the first-ever patient cost survey conducted in 2017 by the National Tuberculosis (TB) and Leprosy Programme revealed that 82 per cent of TB patients face catastrophic costs due to TB diagnosis.
She made the remarks at a psychosocial support and rehabilitation training for medical and district social workers, which was recently held in Windhoek.
Muinjangue highlighted that one of the goals of Namibia’s End TB Strategy is that no TB patient or their household should face catastrophic costs due to their TB diagnosis.
“A tuberculosis diagnosis disrupts a patient’s life by affecting them medically, financially, and socially. Patients are generally hesitant to report their TB status because they fear stigma and prejudice in their homes, workplaces, and communities. This, in turn, leads to more disease transmission, sustaining a vicious cycle. Societal discrimination is a by-product of ignorance, trainings like these are critical in providing public health solutions to TB,” she said
Muinjangue stated that psychosocial support and rehabilitation training for medical and district social workers is crucial to healthcare response because tuberculosis is a major public health concern in the country.

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