During
the Southern African Development Community (SADC)
Ministerial meeting held in South Africa in
November 2011, the issue of TB and Mines was top
of the agenda where concerns were raised
relating to the high incidences of TB in the
mines and lack of sustainable support for
retired mine workers infected with TB. This was
seen to be a contributing factor to poverty
among affected families and communities in the
region.
Therefore
the SADC meeting scheduled an extraordinary high
level meeting of the Ministers of Health to be
held in April 2012 (this year) to endorse the
SADC Declaration and Code of Practice on TB and
Mines. The same Declaration will also be
submitted to the SADC heads of State Summit to
be held on August 2012.
The
regional Technical Working Ground (TWG) already
established comprised of four most affected
countries in the region namely Lesotho,
Swaziland, South Africa and Mozambique in
collaboration with key development partners such
as World Bank, Stop TB Partnership and IOM,
employers and employees representatives and is
Chaired by Lesotho
The
meeting was in response to need for SADC Member
states to self assess on issues around TB in
Mines and come up with locally agreed
recommendation to inform the two documents being
prepared under the coordination of SADC
Secretariat namely Declaration on TB and a code
of conduct. It is served as a forum to discus
cross border issues around migration
particularly for miners. Lesotho Mining
companies were involved in order to sensitize
them on these program for them to design
interventions well in time not forgetting
silicosis as occupational lung disease
associated with mine dust.
During
the meeting the participants deliberated on the
existing TB interventions or services targeting
mine workers or ex-mine workers, gaps and
challenges, need for inter-countries TB
management, programs, policies and improved
referral across the border.
The
Lesotho NTP Manager Dr. Llang Maama pointed out
that one of the major challenge is that most TB
patient miners default their treatment in order
go back to work in South African mines without
medical transfer while some sick miners come
from South Africa and without any medical
transfer to show their treatment history.
Therefore the health clinics will not be sure if
patients are to continue with treatment or not.
According
to Dr. Maama, there is a need for regional
solution where all SADC Member States will
harmonize TB treatment guidelines as well as
HIV/AIDS for easier referral than the current
practice.
One of
the ex-miner Mr. Rantso Mantsi who is also the
President of the Ex-Miners Association said he
suffered from TB twice. “Treatment adherence is
not easy especially the long term treatment i.e.
injection or drugs, among mine workers without
long term sick leaves where patient will be able
to stay with their families and receive good
care and nutritional support.,” he added.
Meanwhile
the local mines, Kao which was established in
2010 has no TB patient so far. HIV and TB
education are conducted within the camp by
mining staff and in the near-by community.
According to Letseng 2011 data from safety and
health unit, there are only 2 TB cases which are
also HIV co-infected.
Both two
local diamond mines have health centers within
the mining compound for staff only. The Letṧeng
mine also has resident medical doctor on site
.
