By John Ako Ebai
KENKO Foundation, a Limbe-based civil society organisation, has reiterated the importance of community-led monitoring in strengthening the local response to tuberculosis (TB). The organisation emphasised the need for active community participation and the use of the OneImpact application to improve access to quality TB services, ensure accountability, and support affected persons throughout treatment and care.
Speaking to The SUN Newspaper, Ivan Namme, a community-based volunteer with KENKO Foundation, explained that the OneImpact App enables TB patients to report challenges they face in real time.
“The OneImpact App enables TB patients to report challenges faced through the online platform in real time, thereby enabling prompt responses from local TB service providers and improving the quality of TB services through effective handling of patients’ concerns,” Namme said.
He further noted that the application provides users with useful information about TB and allows patients to connect with one another, creating opportunities for peer support and encouragement.
Community-led monitoring plays a vital role in strengthening the local TB response by empowering affected communities to provide feedback and track the quality, accessibility, and effectiveness of TB services. It also helps identify gaps in diagnosis, treatment, and patient care while promoting accountability among healthcare providers and policymakers.
Fred Ojong, a TB patient based in Muyuka, also shared his experience with the application.
“The OneImpact application enabled me to identify nearby TB treatment centres and helped me learn more about the disease,” he told The SUN.
Health experts believe that the views and experiences of TB patients must be reflected in local TB interventions in line with the person-centred approach promoted in modern healthcare delivery. Through active community participation, local TB programmes can better respond to patients’ needs, improve treatment outcomes, reduce stigma, and ensure that no affected person is left behind in the fight against tuberculosis.
The application provides users with up-to-date information on TB and Drug-Resistant TB, as well as a directory of treatment centres and details on services offered at each facility.
Participants at the sensitisation programme were encouraged to promote the application through their various media platforms as a tool that empowers communities to make informed health decisions and provide vital feedback capable of improving the quality of TB services at the local level.
The OneImpact platform also strengthens community-led monitoring by allowing users to report challenges in accessing TB services, thereby enhancing accountability and improving service delivery.