Stop TB Partnership

How Can TB Awareness Save Lives in Rural Kenya?

By Peter Ng'ola - Wote Youth Development (Kenya)

Just ask Blanche Ndunge Kyalo; a 35 year old wife and mother-of-four living in rural Kenya. Despite having poor access to formal education, she had enrolled for an artisan training in dress making to help supplement the family income. Ndunge noted that at the time "my husband was working in Mombasa as a casual worker and though he was not rich, we were fairly comfortable by the local standards." However, misfortune struck in 2006; Ndunge contracted TB. Ndunge remembers," It took me time to realize I had TB. Having been brought up in the rural place and married in a rural setup, we still believe bad omen like TB is brought about by other people. I am embarrassed to say that we visited many witchdoctors and herbalists."

Ndunge found herself in a state of despair. When traditional medicine failed to cure her active TB infection, Ndunge "sat back and waited for my death." However, when she contracted Malaria, her husband, "knowing that malaria is a curable disease" decided to take [her] to the hospital." It was at this time that Ndunge was diagnosed with tuberculosis. She was shaken by the diagnosis yet remained resolute. Despite the side effects of her medications, Ndunge "kept the faith and took my drugs for the 6 months that was prescribed." She finished her last drug collection on 5th September, 2006 with a sigh of relief; "It is over", she said to herself. She could not hide her joy during her last test.

"I'm cured!" Ndunge said with a smile on her face showing how she felt at that time. She was quickly able to resume taking care of her children and farming the one acre of land that she owned with her husband.

"Little did I know that it wasn’t over yet" In February 2011, Ndunge began to cough again. She found herself in a typical dilemma for many living in rural areas; "As usual, when you are in the rural area which is far to the hospital, it is the last place you want to visit unless you must". Ndunge did not believe that she would develop an active TB infection again, and so she pursued traditional healing. Unfortunately, Ndunge quickly found herself at the hospital in much worse condition than before.

Ndunge became hopeless and depressed by the daunting road ahead. "It was the fact that this time it was to be 56 injections that killed my spirit" she says. She initially refused to go for treatment out of extreme fear of the injections. However, Ndunge was persuaded to go to the hospital when her youngest daughter volunteered to go with her.

It takes 6 hrs to reach the hospital on foot. The path is so treacherous that not even motorbikes can navigate them. Fatigued and weak, Ndunge could only walk supported for 20 meters at a time before she needed to rest.

Ndunge's TB infection affected the whole family. Her children left school in the first week to support their parents. Sometimes Ndunge struggled with the competing demands of her children's education and her own treatment. "I was going to the hospital for my daughter and if she feels like I may not go to hospital that day, she would find an excuse for not going to school in order to accompany me to the hospital" Ndunge recalled.

She still finds it difficult to explain the emotional transformation she went through during this ordeal. "When the director of Wote Youth Development Project visited with a community health worker Jackline Katambo who had been trained by them, he took up my case and supported me through counselling and nutritional support after the crops had failed". She is extremely grateful to the daughter and the family members who have been supporting her.

Ndunge's case highlights the need for public health education and early detection. Although she is HIV sero-negative, this did not prevent those from her village to link her with the disease. Moreover, believing that fresh air was causing TB, her husband removed all of the windows in the house. Ndunge says that when she is fully recovered she would like to visit the witch doctor and the herbalists and tell them the truth.