Services for People with AIDS Dar es Salaam Archdiocese (PASADA) aims to improve the identification of tuberculosis and HIV cases in women with the help of community workers and traditional healers in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Background:
In the catchment area of PASADA, tuberculosis is a major health problem. Although 25 rapid test centres for tuberculosis were set up in the first round of funding, more men than women are diagnosed. Undetected infections among women in the region are very likely. As tuberculosis is a highly stigmatised disease and women are at risk of being excluded from their family network after diagnosis, there is a need to raise awareness of the disease within the community. Since women often turn to traditional healers, these need to be trained in diagnosing the condition.
Activities:
-\tConducting community awareness-raising events
-\tInvolving healers in the development of appropriate messages to address social norms that impede
the use of tuberculosis services
-\tSetting up further rapid test centres for tuberculosis
Impact:
The aim of the project is to facilitate access to tuberculosis services for women and young girls. In the long term, the HIV and tuberculosis burden is to be reduced through education.