Stephen Chadenga
Gweru mayor Martin Chivhoko has said the city will embark on tuberculosis screening in a bid to eradicate the disease, which he described as a “threat” but “treatable and curable disease.”
Chivhoko said from this month to September community health workers will embark on door to door conducting tuberculosis diagnosis and screening across the city’s suburbs.
“The tragedy is not TB itself but the late diagnosis that allows it to spread and claim lives unnecessarily,”Chivhoko said at a full council meeting this week.
“To confront this challenge head-on l am proud to announce a critical public health campaign running from June to the end of September 2026.
“During this period trained community health workers will go door to door conducting TB diagnosis screening across the neighbourhoods of Mkoba, Mtapa and Senga. These workers are not intruders, they are protectors and when they knock welcome them. The screening is free and confidential.”
The city boss said if they is need for referral arises patients will be directed to major health facilities in the Midlands capital including Gweru provincial hospital and council run clinics.
“The message is simple yet profound, early diagnosis leads to timely treatment and timely treatment saves lives,”he said.
Gweru Progressive Residents and Ratepayers Development Association Trust executive director David Chikore commended council for embarking on the health exercise saying residents were “unnecessarily” losing lives over a curable and treatable disease.
“We commend council for embarking on this important health campaign,”Chikore said
“We have cases particularly in the high density suburbs losing their lives to TB yet it’s a treatable and curable disease.We urge residents to comply with this important health campaign as it is key to their well being.”