About Us

Background

Paradiso TB Patients’ Trust is a community TB initiative, functioning as a Non-Governmental Organization existing according to the laws of Malawi, with its offices in Lilongwe. Founded in 2000 but officially registered in 2003; Paradiso is led and supported by people living with HIV and those affected by tuberculosis. It runs programs in Tuberculosis (TB) and HIV/AIDS in nine districts of Malawi namely Lilongwe, Mchinji, Dowa, Dedza, Zomba, Phalombe, Neno, Nsanje, and Chikwawa. The Organization established local TB clubs composed of TB survivors and people living with HIV (volunteers) that are housed within the Ministry of Health’s Community Health Centres which are core to the program implementation of the organisation. The organization uses the TB Clubs to implement various activities in the communities we work in.

Currently, the organization works in nine districts in which it directly delivers TB and HIV/AIDS programs in sixty health centres and Zomba maximum prison with a membership base of over one thousand volunteers across the sixty health centres. In addition, Paradiso works in HIV and AIDS programming, disseminating HIV and AIDS information, referral for HIV Testing and Counselling Voluntary Counseling and Testing, follow up of patients diagnosed with HIV, initiate them on treatment, and support them to live positively through our support groups of people living with HIV called Paradiso Support Groups (PASUGOs).

The organization also works and supports orphans and vulnerable children whose parents died or are affected by HIV and AIDS, and TB with school fees, nutrition, and school supplies. In addition, we work with pregnant women living positively to encourage and ensure they access prevention of mother to child transmission services especially in Ngwenya area in Lilongwe.

The volunteers do assist pregnant women with transportation to and from the hospital in the process. Pregnant women living positively whose children are positive are given counseling and guidance, and some trained in vocational skills such as tailoring. The organization has core competencies and a seven-member board that provides oversight and policy direction. The members are experts in their various fields of finance, community programing, TB, HIV and AIDS, and governance.

The secretariat has 23 members of staff, who are qualified and experienced in their respective fields. In addition, we have vibrant structures serving in the communities we work in the 60 health centres in the 9 districts.

Paradiso strongly believes in partnerships and continuously engages with other stakeholders such as Ministry of Health, Department of HIV and AIDS, National TB and Leprosy Elimination Program, Traditional Leaders, Parliamentarians, Ward Councilors, donor community, Civil Society and Advocacy Forum (CSAF), and other organisations such as MANASO, MANET+, NONM, FACT, COWLHA, MANELERA in a bid to get support and advocate for TB, HIV and AIDS, at community, national, regional, and international platforms.

Since 2018, the organization has reached 526,058 people in communities with TB and HIV information through various information dissemination activities. Out of the 525,058 people reached with information, 82,734 were screened for Tuberculosis, of which 23,600 were presumptive(s), and of the 23,600 presumptive(s), a total of 1,420 people were diagnosed with Tuberculosis, and they were all supported through the course of treatment, including 140 MDR TB patients who were supported with nutrition packages to facilitate treatment adherence.

2,011 TB survivors were assessed for various post-TB disabilities, 467 post-TB patients participated in the Lung rehabilitation program, and 1,054 TB survivors and nurses were trained in inclusive health communication and post-TB disability management. 805 people received HIV testing and counselling (HTC), 398 pregnant women received elimination of mother to child transmission (EMTCT) services, 56 children living with HIV (CLWH) received support by volunteers, and 868 children were provided with nutrition support, 94 of whom were HIV positive. Nutritional support was provided to 75 HIV-positive women, while psychosocial counseling was provided to 2649 people, 566 of whom were women.