Its not witchcraft!

“My name is Linda Kithuku, and I’ve been a Kayole resident for decades. I currently volunteer at the Soweto Kayole PHC Clinic on weekdays while I am not working. I first went to the clinic in 2016. I had been sick for months and had visited several hospitals for therapy and medication, but for some reason, my health deteriorated. I was also unemployed at the time, which had a severe impact on my lifestyle. A female friend of mine then recommended the facility and took me there. They ran a series of tests and diagnosed me with tuberculosis (TB). They then gave me medication, fed me, and even paid me a visit at home. I was given medication for the full six months without a penny”.

Linda now seeks out tuberculosis patients in Kayole and encourages them to visit the Soweto Clinic for treatment, medication, and therapy.

“Most people in my neighbourhood believe that tuberculosis doesn’t effect them. They think that a spell has been cast on them, and instead go to churches for prayers or seek out witchdoctors to break the alleged curse. I tell them that it is tuberculosis and advise them to go to the clinic. Most people that come do not complete the full six-month treatment, and after a few months, they stop and revert. The disease claims the lives of the majority of those affected here. This is a major concern  in our community”.

Linda is happy about the maternity ward’s ongoing construction, as she feels the next step will be to build a small counselling room where healthcare specialists can hold private consultations with new patients to put them at ease about the treatment process.