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Wellington Takavarasha

Charity Ruzvidzo Business Reporter
THE World Bank has pledged partnership with mining executives in Southern Africa in the fight against Tuberculosis infections and creating a healthy working environment for workers in the sector.

The global financial institution has set up a regional committee made up of representatives from Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe to coordinate a development note for TB programmes in the mining sector to be submitted to the Global Fund to fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

The World Bank said the objective of the programme was to ensure adequate knowledge and awareness of TB, HIV and Silicosis in mines.

“The programme is meant to implement active TB case finding through universal screening and testing of mineworkers, their families and communities in labour sending areas. To establish a system for ensuring continuity of TB, HIV and Silicosis treatment programmes and institute an effective system for coordinating a regional, multi country and multi sector approach to addressing regional dimensions of TB in the mining sector,” it said in a notice yesterday.

Zimbabwe Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining Council (Zamsco) president Wellington Takavarasha said protecting the health of miners was crucial in ensuring increased production.

“As miners we appreciate programmes that have anything to do with the health of workers. A healthy mine worker means increased production, which is basically our main objective,” he said.

Takavarasha commended the initiative against TB and urged local authorities to join in the fight.

“Awareness campaigns are very vital especially with regards to diseases like Malaria, Aids and TB as they’re affecting a lot of people, the mining sector included. Local authorities should also join in this fight against these diseases in mines.

“Another notable challenge is the use of child labour, this should also be addressed in these campaigns especially in African countries,” he said.