ATLAS MARA JOINS TB FIGHT

By BUUMBA CHIMBULU ATLAS Mara has contributed K30,000 to the fight against Tuberculosis (TB), as the World Health Organisation (WHO) categorises Zambia as one of the 30 high burden countries globally with the disease. The K30,000 contribution, which was made to Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ) is meant to  support TB activities in Choma. It is estimated that 62,000 fall ill Zambia every year due to TB and that about 17,000 die of the disease annually. This is more than the number of Covid-19 related deaths, says Atlas Mara Zambia Managing Director, James Koni. “We are happy to contribute a cheque for K30,000 which we hope will assist the community health workers in support of the TB activities in Choma. “These will include sensitization about TB, psycho-social counselling, contact tracing and administering of TB treatment in the community,” Mr Koni said during the handover of the cheque in Lusaka. Mr Koni said Atlas Mara had taken note that CIDRZ ran several fellowship programmes aimed at building the capacity of Zambian researchers to participate in finding solutions to health challenges. And CIDRZ Director TB Programmes, Monde Muyoyeta, said the programme was a five year project in Choma. Dr Muyoyeta said apart from the K30,000, Atlas Mara would be providing financial literacy training to the volunteers of the programme. “The project is supporting nine districts in Zambia. It is supported by the United United States Agency for International Development,” she said.