17/05/2021
My name is Jabulani Montsho and I am currently working as a Nurse with experience in Tuberculosis. My experience in TB comes from having been infected by the disease before, which is now coupled with my professional experience career-wise, having worked with those affected by TB.
Personally, my story with TB was difficult because initially, I did not understand what was going on with me so I could not accept it. After diagnosis when I started taking pills, I had immense fatigue, I could not walk for a longer period as I was very weak, but as I continued taking pills I recovered very quickly. During our time doses were quite overwhelming but I took them anyway and that is why I am alive and well today.
I saw it befitting that as a TB survivor/ champion, it was necessary for me to collaborate with other TB champions in assisting the nation to end TB, and that is when I joined the TB Champions Association of Botswana in its inception. My belief and rightfully so was that the association, which is under Victus Global Botswana Organisation, would benefit so much from my experience from a health worker’s perspective.
As an ordinary member of TB CAB, I also gain vastly because apart from my job I have a passion for TB, it always warms my heart to see a TB patient enroll for treatment until they are completely healed, it truly gives me life.
We must do more in solidarity because the current statistics we are reporting are not those that should be reported, meaning there are clear loopholes. Therefore, our health officials came up with find and treat missing people. I have confidence that as an association if we are active enough, we will bridge the gap, through our activities we will assist the country progress in reaching the most desired target. This is provided we are well resourced; we are the right people to do this because we know what we are talking about.
My advice to all nurses out there is that they should soldier on regardless of all circumstances they face, they should set an example for upcoming nurses so that they also get to keep the standard very high like they are doing today.