One day when we’re all settled in Heaven or Hell depending on where we end up at, all the witches we have falsely accused of some deaths that they never caused will ask us why we accused them so unfairly.
Let me hasten to repeat that I am not an expert on HIV in the medical sense but I have learnt a lot during my long stay with HIV and can call myself an expert in living with HIV. I have learnt how dangerous TB is and how it has claimed the lives of many people living with HIV and ex TB patients and today I want to talk about the dangers posed by TB to people living with HIV and those who have suffered from TB in the past. I shall use the knowledge I’ve gained from my own experience as a former TB patient and the experience I have gained by observing others like me.
When I suffered from TB in 1999 I was moved from one medical facility to another and many people except myself thought that I had malaria or had been bewitched. What helped me most was the fact that I don’t have much faith in witchcraft and hence requested that I be taken to a hospital instead of to n’angas or prophets. As my illness progressed from bad to worse I began to suspect that what I was suffering from was TB because I had read widely about it and thought I had all the symptoms of TB.
People must familiarise themselves with how their bodies work to avoid unnecessary health surprises. TB comes in waves and on the onset it may manifest itself like malaria with little or no productive cough at all then it moves slowly but surely destroying it’s victim’s appetite hence causing weight loss and general body weakness until the victim, if not initiated on medication quickly, is rendered immobile. Coupled with weight loss is general body weakness until the victim is no longer able to walk. One situation all TB patients should avoid is falling sick until they’re unable to wake up.
The first round of TB is easier to manage if diagnosed early enough because it can be treated using tablets only. The most dangerous is the second or third TB attacks which now requires both tablets and injections. TB diagnosed late can be very dangerous because it is usually drug resistant and very stubborn to treat
All people living with HIV should take periodic TB checks at their nearest medical facilities such as clinics hospitals and such other places. Those who have suffered from TB before should be more vigilant to avoid relapse. I strongly suspect that some of the deaths taking place these days are caused by TB and if possible those in the medical field should do research to establish the causes of these deaths.
By Piason Maringwa
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