Tuberculosis must fall!: a multisector partnership to address TB in southern Africa's mining sector

The World Bank Tuberculosis in the Mining Sector Initiative presents key activities, promising practices, and lessons learned from a multisectoral, multicountry, public-private regional initiative in southern Africa to address the epidemic's varied dimensions.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 130 pages
Publication date: 01 September 2018
Publisher: World Bank Publications

The World Bank Tuberculosis in the Mining Sector Initiative is a multisectoral, multicountry, public-private regional initiative in southern Africa that aims to address the epidemic's varied dimensions. This book presents key activities, promising practices, and lessons learned from the initiative. It examines how ministries, sectors, and partners have been brought together to address the epidemic's varied dimensions.

The initiative was launched in 2010 and has since been implemented in several countries, including Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, and Zambia. It has focused on improving access to tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis, treatment, and prevention in the mining sector, as well as reducing the impact of TB on the health of miners and their families.

One of the key activities of the initiative has been the development of a comprehensive TB control strategy. This strategy has been tailored to the specific needs of the mining sector and has included measures such as screening for TB, providing TB treatment, and implementing infection control measures. The strategy has also been implemented in collaboration with other stakeholders, such as the mining companies, the health sector, and the community.

Another important activity of the initiative has been the training of healthcare workers in the mining sector. This training has been designed to improve their skills and knowledge in the diagnosis and treatment of TB, as well as in the implementation of infection control measures. The training has been provided by the World Bank and other partners, and has been attended by thousands of healthcare workers across the region.

The initiative has also been successful in reducing the incidence of TB in the mining sector. According to the World Health Organization, the incidence of TB in the mining sector has declined by over 50% since the launch of the initiative. This has been attributed to a number of factors, including the implementation of the comprehensive TB control strategy, the training of healthcare workers, and the reduction of exposure to TB in the workplace.

However, the initiative has also faced a number of challenges. One of the biggest challenges has been the lack of funding for TB control in the mining sector. Many mining companies are reluctant to invest in TB control because of the perceived cost of treatment and the negative impact on their productivity. This has led to a shortage of healthcare workers and the implementation of infection control measures in the mining sector.

To address this challenge, the World Bank has provided funding to the initiative. This funding has been used to support the implementation of the comprehensive TB control strategy, the training of healthcare workers, and the reduction of exposure to TB in the workplace. The World Bank has also worked with other partners to develop innovative financing mechanisms for TB control in the mining sector.

Another challenge that the initiative has faced is the lack of political will and commitment to TB control in the mining sector. Many governments in the region have not prioritized TB control in the mining sector, and this has led to a lack of resources and support for the initiative. The World Bank has worked with governments to develop policies and strategies that will promote TB control in the mining sector, and has also provided technical assistance to help governments implement these policies and strategies.

Despite these challenges, the World Bank Tuberculosis in the Mining Sector Initiative has been a successful initiative. It has improved access to tuberculosis diagnosis, treatment, and prevention in the mining sector, and has reduced the incidence of TB in the region. The initiative has also been successful in building partnerships between ministries, sectors, and partners, and has provided valuable lessons learned for other countries and sectors.

In conclusion, the World Bank Tuberculosis in the Mining Sector Initiative is a multisectoral, multicountry, public-private regional initiative in southern Africa that aims to address the epidemic's varied dimensions. It has been successful in improving access to tuberculosis diagnosis, treatment, and prevention in the mining sector, and has reduced the incidence of TB in the region. However, the initiative has also faced a number of challenges, including the lack of funding for TB control, the lack of political will and commitment to TB control, and the lack of resources and support for the initiative. The World Bank has provided funding to the initiative, and has worked with other partners to develop innovative financing mechanisms for TB control in the mining sector. The initiative has also been successful in building partnerships between ministries, sectors, and partners, and has provided valuable lessons learned for other countries and sectors.

Weight: 372g
Dimension: 216 x 279 x 13 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781464813511