When mother-of-three Mamfe Motloheloa tested positive for tuberculosis (TB), the diagnosis not only saved her life, but also those of her children. “My condition was critical. I was rushed from the clinic to the hospital, where my treatment journey started,” recalls Motloheloa. 

After she was discharged from hospital following a week of treatment to stabilize her condition, an active case-finding team was dispatched to her home. The team screened the children and, concerned by what they found, referred them to the health facility. The results of an x-ray showed that they too had TB.

“They were enrolled in treatment, which is now complete and they are all healthy again,” says Motloheloa.

The timely response by health care workers at the Samaria Clinic in Motloheloa’s home village of Motloi, in Lesotho’s Mafeteng District, reflects a focus by the country’s health authorities, supported by partners like World Health Organization (WHO), to identify “missing” people with TB and initiate treatment to save lives.

While TB incidence in Lesotho has dropped by 13% to 661 cases per every 100 000 people in the past decade, the country still has one of the highest incidences in the world. Case-finding has increased from 32% in 2020 to 47% in 2023 but needs to almost double to reach national and global targets for ending TB by 2030.

“We have a major challenge of tracing the ‘invisible patients’ because people move a lot. Some reside in difficult terrains and they cannot access health centres in time,” says Dr Llang Maama, who heads Lesotho’s national TB programme in the Ministry of Health.

Health facilities are critical in the drive to intensify active case finding and, according to Maama, most undiagnosed cases of TB are identified at a health facility level. This means that people who test positive can be immediately placed onto treatment and cured. Treatment coverage of people diagnosed with TB is 77%, meaning that the 90% target is well within reach.

The approach aligns with WHO guidance that active case-finding, or systematic screening for TB, is an important, efficient and cost-effective tool help address diagnosis and treatment delays, halting unnecessary spread of the disease.

Motloheloa is grateful that she and her children got the treatment they needed. “I am so happy that they are now back at school,” she says, adding that the clinic also assisted the family with clothing and food, including food supplements to boost their recovery.

“They always call me to check if I am doing fine,” she adds.

Maphakiso Maqeba, the head nurse at Samaria Clinic, says she is delighted when TB treatment can help families regain their health. “The children are now cured and I’m particularly happy about Ms Motloheloa’s recovery. She comes in regularly for check-ups,” she says.

The Government has also implemented other innovations to ramp up the TB response. This includes digital technology in the form the Smart Pill Box, to help patients adhere to their treatment plans by automatically indicating when they should take their treatment, along with using artificial intelligence to aid TB screening efforts.

Along with providing guidance for the adoption of new guidelines for TB prevention and treatment, WHO has supported Lesotho’s Health Ministry to train all health care workers, focusing on treatment of people with multi-drug resistant TB. The Organization has also provided technical support to the Ministry of Health to conduct the joint TB/HIV epidemiological and programmatic review. These reviews assist the Ministry in understanding the trends of TB infection in the country and how the programme is performing.

On World TB Day on 24 March 2024, the country will launch the Multisectoral Accountability Framework for TB, a tool developed by WHO to foster multisectoral collaborations and accountability for putting political commitments to end TB into practice.

“Lesotho remains a high TB burden country. We now understand the country’s epidemiology and programmatic gaps. We have mobilized resources from the Global Fund and the United States President’s Emergency Fund for AIDS Relief. We are at a critical time to now act with the available tools that we have to meet the targets of ending TB by 2030,” says Dr Francis Mupeta, WHO Lesotho’s Technical Officer for the TB/HIV programme.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Health Organization (WHO) – Lesotho.

Addressing the impact of insecurity on the lives and livelihoods of local communities remains a priority for residents of Bangasu in Yambio County.

To improve the relationship between uniformed personnel and civilians, seventeen representatives of organized forces and the local community, including refugees and returnees, have formed an early warning working group hoped to better protect civilians and their property.

This group was established after the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) organized a two-day workshop to raise awareness about protection matters, the revitalized peace agreement, and the UNMISS mandate.

Miamangawai Luize, a youth leader in the area, was happy about learning more about his community’s role in peacebuilding and debunking misinformation.

“I have also gained knowledge about the process leading up to the upcoming December 2024 and related protection issues,” he said.

Luiza Mina, a refugee attending the workshop, was delighted to hear about how she can contribute to the safety of her host community.

“This is the first training I attend and now I will educate my fellow refugees on how to work to keep everyone safe,” she said. 

Tahiru Ibrahim, an UNMISS representative, said that the UN Peacekeeping mission is planning to replicate this activity across Western Equatoria.

“I think this kind of protection groups will help the authorities receive early security alerts that will help them act to deter violence and curb crimes,” he averred.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs Lee Satterfield traveled March 19-21 to Lagos and Abuja, where she highlighted a broad range of U.S. public diplomacy programs that help to expand access to education and economic opportunities in the creative industries.

U.S. Educational And Cultural Exchanges Drive Inclusive Economic Growth Assistant Secretary Satterfield’s trip comes on the heels of the recent visit to Nigeria by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and underscores the United States’ strong commitment to strengthening people-to-people connections with Nigeria that drive innovation, foster knowledge exchange, and unlock opportunities for shared economic prosperity.   

In Lagos, Assistant Secretary Satterfield delivered remarks at the University of Lagos on the importance of cultural diplomacy in Africa and announced three new exchange programs for the creative industries. These new initiatives include: the Africa Creative TV initiative for writers and producers in the film and TV industries; the American Music Mentorship Program, which is in partnership with the Recording Academy/GRAMMYs; and the film-focused, one-year Community College Initiative, which will take participants through the script to the screen process.

She also witnessed the MOU signing ceremony for the establishment of a Window on America at the University of Lagos –– the 26th American Space in Nigeria –– which will serve as a gateway to a wealth of resources; information about U.S. government sponsored exchange opportunities; guidance on how to study in the United States; access to eLibraryUSA, a platform for academic research; career mentorship; and professional development workshops.

In addition to visiting the American Corner Lekki, Assistant Secretary Satterfield participated in a tech and innovation showcase featuring six innovative solutions developed by alumni of U.S. government exchange programs. She also met with leading figures in Nigeria’s film and music industries and discussed harnessing the potential of these industries to drive economic growth, job creation, youth opportunities, and cultural exchange while strengthening bilateral ties between the U.S. and Nigeria.

At the National Museum in Lagos, Assistant Secretary Satterfield launched Nigeria’s first Cultural Property Agreement Implementation Grant, which demonstrates the U.S. government’s commitment to working with Nigeria to protect, honor, and preserve its cultural heritage. Through this grant, museum professionals from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York will work with their counterparts at the National Museum Lagos to digitize and improve access to Nigeria’s cultural heritage and raise awareness about the importance of cultural preservation.

In Abuja, Assistant Secretary Satterfield met with Minister of Education Professor Tahir Mamman and the Minister of Art, Culture, and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa and discussed a variety of issues ranging from the U.S.-Nigeria partnership on cultural diplomacy, including in film, to expanding access to educational and professional opportunities for women and girls in science, technology, education, and mathematics (STEM).

The Assistant Secretary also engaged with beneficiaries of the U.S. Embassy Abuja Opportunity Funds Program, which helps high achieving but economically disadvantaged students secure admission and scholarships to American colleges and universities. She urged the students to make the most of their opportunity to get a top-notch education in the United States while gaining first-hand experience of American life and culture.

While in Abuja, Assistant Secretary Satterfield delivered keynote remarks at the Women’s International Film Festival Nigeria and participated in a moderated panel discussion where she highlighted the important role of an inclusive and sustainable creative ecosystem in advancing economic growth and strengthening bilateral people-to-people ties.

“The deep partnership between the United States and Nigeria goes well beyond just our governments ––in fact, at the heart of our relationship is our people,” Assistant Secretary Satterfield said during her visit.   

Assistant Secretary Satterfield’s visit highlights the commitment the Biden-Harris Administration made at the 2022 US-Africa Leaders’ Summit to deepen ties with Africa in support of inclusive economic growth and shared prosperity. Since the 2022 US-Africa Leaders’ Summit, 20 high-level U.S. government officials have visited Nigeria.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of U.S. Embassy and Consulate in Nigeria.