kuneziphakamiso ezithi umkhize akasule esikhundleni sakhe. ulungisa uthi kudlalwa ngomkhize ekubeni esebenza ngokuzikhandla. thenga cishe konke ongakwenza ngasiphi esitolo hardware, kuyazuzisa ngempela ngokoqobo amapeni. yini okumelwe uyenze? spreading if people practised hygiene like coughing with your mouth covered and washing your hands before touching food. I really hate it when people don’t want to open their windows for fresh air when I’m taking a taxi, because what if someone coughs? This puts a high risk of us contracting the disease.” The founder of Enhlanhleni Isibani Sezwe NGO in KwaDabeka Pastor Ntshangase said TB has always been a major issue in the community. “A lot of people in my organisation have been affected by TB and not only TB but HIV as well. They live in appalling conditions where hygiene is not practised at all which increases the risk of more people being infected. We try our best to conduct awareness campaigns and educate people about TB.” HOW DO PEOPLE GET TB? The disease is passed on from person to person. When a person who has TB coughs, sneezes or spits, germs are spread into the air from where they can be breathed in. Fortunately not all those infected contract TB, in most cases the germs are sealed off in the body and they do not multiply. However, if the body’s defences can no longer control the germs, they become active and the person gets TB. WHO IS AT RISK? • Close contacts of TB patients • Children under five years old • Persons with diseases like diabetes • HIV positive persons with lowered immune systems • Persons who take excessive alcohol and drug addicts • Persons with poor nutrition and lack of food • Persons suffering from stress • Persons living in poorly ventilated, over-crowded rooms WHAT ARE THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF TB? • A cough for longer than two weeks • Chest pains • Tiredness and weakness of the body • Loss of appetite and weight • Night sweats, even when it is cold • Coughing up blood HOW CAN TB BE PREVENTED? • People on TB medication must complete their treatment, this prevents the spread of TB. • Cover your mouth and nose with tissue paper or your hands when coughing or sneezing. Do not cough, sneeze or spit on other people. Do not let other people cough, sneeze or spit on you. • Wash hands with soap and water. • Immunise of all babies at a clinic within a year of birth. • Keep your body healthy by eating balanced meals consisting of food like meat, fish, eggs, beans, mills, amasi, brown bread, maize meal, vegetables and fruits. • Alcohol should be avoided because it lowers the body’s resistance to sickness and affects the treatment. • Smoking causes further damage to the lungs and can also cause heart disease and lung cancer. • Keep your window open in your home — fresh air blows the TB germs away and sunshine kills the TB germs • Keep your body healthy by exercising TB IN THE WORKPLACE: Once a person has been on TB treatment for two weeks, they are not infectious. Persons with TB can continue to work. TB treatment can be given by a treatment supporter at work.