Story by Tommy Esau, Research Worker

For the last two months (September and October, 2015) a tuberculosis (TB) team from the Atoifi Health Research Group has worked in several coastal and mountain communities in East Malaita, Solomon Islands. The team led by Chief John Wakageni, RN, Coordinator for Women and TB project, also includes Chief Esau Kekeubata, Dorothy Esau and Grace Alaka (both TB Community Officers) and Tommy Esau (Research Worker). The TB team have visited TB hotspots including Jordan in the Kwaibaita Valley and Kwainaa ‘isi and Kafurum villages in the East Kwaio mountains.

The three day visit to Kwaibaita valley was a highlight for the team. This is the first time the whole team were together. Grace Alaka, TB Community Officer from Namolaelae village, is a key person to the success of our work. The team were able to meet with several communities including Namola ‘ela ‘e community, Namola’ela’e clinic, Obona ‘eru, Goulo, Jordan clinic and the other smaller communities at Kwaibaita valley. The team talked with women and men about the TB, and begin sharing ideas about how women, family and community can care for people with TB. The good things and the challenges of TB were explored, as were ways health services and the community could better support women who live with TB, or who are caring for someone with TB.

Many people expressed positive feedback to the TB team. A group from Jordan community have committed to a “New Start”! To support individual and families with TB, including those who are admitted to Atoifi Hospital. The leader of the community, Mr Isafi, challenged everyone by saying, “that in order to help fight TB in East Kwaio, the health services, communities, church leaders, chiefs, families and individuals need to work closely together.” He went on to say that people with a chronic cough need to come and get checked at the clinic, and have their sputum tested.

In the village-level discussions, families and communities identified the following challenges: long distances to clinics and Hospital, not enough support and care from the community, family not happy with women being away from home (for treatment), food security and financial limitations.
Nurses and health workers also conducted an Outpatient clinic in each of the three villages, where they saw over 70 patients. A total of seven patients provided sputum which was smeared, fixed and given to Atoifi Hospital laboratory staff to screen for TB. Training was also provided by John Wakanegi to the members of the TB team on how to smear and fix TB sputum.

Grace Alaka will continue with the work with villagers in Kwaibaita Valley, assisted by two nurses from Namolaelae clinic. Dorothy Esau and the other members of the team will continue to work with villagers who live in coastal areas near Atoifi Hospital, and in Kwainaa’isi and Kafurum in the mountains.

For the next two months, the TB team, along with Advisory Group members, will collate the shared TB stories and plan a series of short videos. These videos will be used to increase awareness and inform the health services how to support for women who are dealing with TB in East Malaita and around Solomon Islands.

For more information about TB in Solomon Islands, read Massey et al (2015): http://www.biomedcentral.com/content/pdf/s12914-015-0041-3.pdf

For more information about this Women and TB project, please email Rowena Asugeni rowena.asugeni@gmail.com or Peter Massey Peter.Massey@hnehealth.nsw.gov.au

We are most grateful to the Australian Respiratory Council who continue to generously support TB prevention and treatment in Solomon Islands.

Photos (1) (L-R): Grace Alaka, Dorothy Esau, John Wakagani, and Tommy Esau
Photo (2) John and the team with community members discuss TB; the TB team in East Kwaio