MSF Blogs: TB&ME

South Africa 2011 © Samantha Reinders

Phumeza, an XDR-TB patient and TB&ME blogger in South Africa

TB&ME is a collaborative blogging project by patients being treated for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) in locations all around the world. They write about their experiences living with MDR-TB and the treatment that they receive. This treatment can often involve taking upwards of 20 pills a day for 24 months and suffering many painful side effects from the toxic drugs.

TB&ME was launched because MDR-TB is a neglected disease. Very little money has been put into the research and development of diagnostics or new and improved treatments, and people who are infected by the disease have no option but to take drugs which are painful and leave them feeling weak every day for a very long time.

TB&ME gives MDR-TB patients an opportunity to tell the world about the issues that affect their lives, about how treatment and services could be improved, and how it feels to have this disease. It also provides an opportunity for patients to tell the world that MDR-TB exists in their own words, that it is a global problem and to share their experiences with others who might be in the same position.