Every day, Yondela Kolweni wakes up with a heavy heart, knowing that she will have to hold down her son, who screams and fights, when it is time for his daily life-saving TB tablets. This is a painful reminder of her own battle with the world’s top infectious killer disease. “It is a fight I win, but it leaves me feeling awful about what I have to do,” says Kolweni, a 30-year-old mother from Cape Town.
Tuberculosis, or TB, is a highly contagious bacterial infection that primarily affects the lungs. It is spread through the air when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or even speaks. TB has been a major health concern for decades, with the World Health Organization (WHO) declaring it a global health emergency in 1993. According to the latest WHO report, TB is still one of the top 10 causes of death worldwide, claiming 1.5 million lives in 2018 alone.
Kolweni’s battle with TB began when she was just 25 years old. She had been feeling unwell for weeks, with a persistent cough and fever. After several visits to different doctors, she was finally diagnosed with TB. “I was shocked and scared. I had heard of TB, but I never thought it could happen to me,” she recalls.
Kolweni started her treatment immediately, which consisted of a combination of antibiotics that needed to be taken daily for six months. However, the side effects of the medication were intense and made her feel weak and nauseous. But she knew she had to continue with the treatment if she wanted to get better.
As if fighting the disease itself wasn’t challenging enough, Kolweni also had to deal with the stigma surrounding TB. Many people in her community viewed TB as a “disease of the poor” and believed that only those who lived in dirty and overcrowded conditions could get it. This led to discrimination and isolation for Kolweni and her family. “It was heartbreaking to see how people treated us differently because of my illness. They were afraid to even come near us,” she says.
But Kolweni refused to let the stigma bring her down. She became an advocate for TB awareness and started educating her community about the disease. She also joined a support group for TB patients, where she found comfort and strength from others who were going through the same journey.
After six months of grueling treatment, Kolweni was declared TB-free. She was relieved and grateful to have beaten the disease. However, her joy was short-lived when her son, Sipho, was diagnosed with TB a year later. “It was like a nightmare all over again. I couldn’t believe that my son had to go through the same pain and suffering that I did,” she says.
Sipho’s treatment was even more challenging because he was just a toddler at the time. He would cry and resist taking his medication, making it almost impossible for Kolweni to administer it to him. “It was heartbreaking to see my son in pain, and I felt like a terrible mother for having to hold him down against his will,” she says.
But Kolweni refused to give up. She sought help from her support group and learned techniques to make the medication easier for her son to take. She also used her experience to educate other parents in her community about the importance of TB treatment for children.
Today, Sipho is a healthy and happy six-year-old, thanks to his mother’s determination and strength. Kolweni continues to be an advocate for TB awareness, and she is proud to have played a part in reducing the stigma surrounding the disease in her community.
Kolweni’s story is just one example of the millions of people around the world who are fighting TB every day. It is a reminder that TB does not discriminate and can affect anyone, regardless of their social status or living conditions. But it is also a story of hope and resilience, showing that with the right treatment and support, TB can be beaten.
So let us all join hands and raise awareness about TB. Let us break the stigma and support those who are fighting this disease. Together, we can end the reign of the world’s top infectious killer and ensure a healthier future for all.
