The Value of a good meal in Zambia - from a visit by our fundraiser

Food is a vital element of TB control.  Malnutrition affects the immune system – so people are more likely to get ill with TB.  While on treatment good nutrition is really important to aid recovery, but getting enough to eat isn’t always easy for our patients in Zambia.  Patients lose their appetite when they have TB – and gain it back once on treatment.  If they don’t have access to enough food they may decide to stop taking their tablets because they can't cope with feeling so hungry – putting them at risk of drug resistance. 

Every Thursday TB patients come to Bwafwano to meet under the straw roof of the open air meeting room, where they can ask questions of the caregivers and nurse, and have guest speakers on different topics, such as other health issues, HIV prevention, hygiene and more.  But every week the star of the show is Naomi.

Naomi gives a talk on various aspects of nutrition.  The five food groups, what foods give energy, strength or build the immune system, ideal foods for breastfeeding mums or children, foods for patients who are HIV positive – all these topics are covered.  This time she was talking about what vitamins are found in different foods.

While she is talking, Naomi’s team of helpers demonstrate how to cook certain foods for the best nutritional value and value for money.  Zambians use every part of the plant (I had never heard of eating pumpkin leaves before).  Cooking in Zambia needs strong muscles as I found out when I was asked to help stir the Nchima!

While the cooking continued Naomi and outreach nurse Fanny took questions from patients and their caregivers….

Loveness asked - I get a rash – which food should I avoid?

As a patient on ART treatment, it is likely that your rash is a side effect of the medicines – speak to the doctor when you get your next medicines. 

Kateri was worried – I take ARV (for HIV) this week I’ll start TB drugs too – but I have heard the TB drugs could kill me!

Fanny explained that it is a myth that TB drugs kill – look at all these people around you who are getting better!  It is people who leave it too late to be diagnosed who die. But there can be side effects to combining them - there is a combined TB/HIV drug which the doctor will give you. 

Bette was worried she could pass TB to her unborn child, or could the drugs harm it?

Fanny explained that TB is airborne so coughing, sneezing etc can pass it on to others. So if you were still infectious when the baby is born it is easily passed to the baby because babies are held close.  It won’t be born with TB, and the TB drugs won’t hurt it.

Then at last – it was time to eat. Naomi and her helpers served all of the patients with a filling, tasty and nutritious meal.

Today’s menu:
Nchima (ground maize)
Kapenta (small fish in a tomato sauce)
Beans (white beans in a tasty sauce – a bit like baked beans and very popular)
Pumpkin leaves in peanut sauce (mmm – my personal favourite)
My verdict – fantastic!