When people hear “TB,” many assume it belongs in history books a disease of the past that no longer poses a major threat.
The Reality: Millions of people are still affected globally each year, and thousands in our own communities face it daily. But there is hope: TB is entirely preventable and curable.
One of the most common misconceptions we encounter in the field is the belief that TB is hereditary or linked to a person’s family lineage, rather than an airborne bacterial infection. This dangerous myth often leads to unnecessary stigma, causing individuals to hide their symptoms, delay testing, and suffer in silence rather than seeking the free and effective treatment available.
How We Are Changing the Narrative on the Ground
Through the Urban TB LON II Project, supported by the U.S. Government -Foreign Assistance Division, we are taking the fight directly to the community level.
Our team, working alongside dedicated health care workers, doesn’t just wait in health facilities we go door-to-door. In the photo below, our team is actively engaging families right in their homes, dispelling myths, discussing early signs and symptoms, and guiding community members on how to access timely screening and treatment.
- Awareness creates action.
- Early detection saves lives.
- Breaking the stigma stops transmission.
Let’s continue to talk openly about TB, support those affected, and remember that ending TB is a shared community responsibility.