Artisans and small-scale miners have been encouraged to use protective gear to minimize the risk of contracting Tuberculosis (TB).
Speaking during a workshop that brought together stakeholders from the health and mining unions at one of the hotels in Migori town, Migori Chief Officer in charge of Public Health and Sanitation, Mable Chanzu, said that they will advocate for improved working conditions and TB prevention measures.
Chanzu said that miners in Migori contribute 10 percent of the total cases of TB and lung conditions in the county, an alarming statistic that she said needs to be corrected fast.
According to Chanzu, in 2024, 191 TB cases emanated from miners, accounting for 10 percent of the over 2,000 TB cases reported across the county.
She pointed out that the stakeholders’ engagement will champion for the welfare of the miners who have TB and lung conditions and identify strategies they can employ in the mining sites to reduce the transmission, besides strengthening routine TB screening.
Chanzu said that the majority of the miners generate income from the mining activities, a source of livelihood that should be done in a proper way to prevent respiratory diseases like TB.
The official also cited low health-seeking behaviour among miners as one of the reasons for the rising cases of TB.
She noted that stigmatization among the miners in terms of seeking screening services for TB and associating the same with HIV Aids was a contributing factor to the ever-growing number of miners suffering from the TB menace.
The official called upon those who were on medication not to adhere to the medication instructions for faster healing.
“We will continue to advocate and do health campaigns in the mining sites to ensure our miners are screened and put on medication to reduce the TB cases in the county,” said Chanzu.
Chanzu also urged the miners’ union officials to spearhead and create self-awareness among miners to combat the TB threat.
Washington Ocharo, a county clinician, said that it was important to activate outreaches in mining sites to help identify cases of TB through screening.
Ocharo urged miners’ union leadership to be more cooperative in helping to identify the sick for faster health emergencies, as well as drug defaulters.
Victor Otieno, a representative from the Miner’s Association in Migori, said that lack of enough protective mining gear was the major reason for the rising cases of TB and other lung condition diseases in the mining sector.
Otieno emphasised the need for regular inspection and screening through the outreach health officials to help combat the TB threat in the mining sites.
The workshop, which was organised by theImpact Research and Development Organization (IRDO) NGO, advocated the roles of the miners’ union and community health actors in combating the TB menace in the mining sites.
The NGO has been designing and implementing public health programmes and research that benefit vulnerable populations.
By Makokha Khaoya
