2007

	Five Nurses Win the Newly Launched ICN/Lilly Award for Work in Tuberculosis and Multi–drug Resistant TB Kefilwe Mamagoale Mathlala Cecilia Pagtakhan-Manipon Polina Petrovna Volkova Doreen Dlamini Lonnie Sautso Mkwepere
	Kefilwe Mamagoale Mathlala from South Africa, is a Chief Professional Nurse in a MDR-TB-Unit and been working for many years in the area of TB & HIV/AIDS. She was trained in the ICN TB/MDR-TB TOT 2005 and trained in return 116 nurses and has assisted communities to adhere to their TB treatment by raising funds to support patients’ travel to health care facilities. “She is a true example of a supportive nurse to TB clients. TB patients feel like kings as they leave the hospital with all the knowledge and resources to deal with in any situation.” (Gwagwa, Executive Director, Democratic Nursing Association of South Africa)

	Cecilia Pagtakhan-Manipon is nurse from the Philippines who participated in the ICN TB/MDR-TB training programme in 2005. She set up one of the first hospital-based TB Units in a governmental hospital, organised a DOTS Club, composed of cured patients and treatment partners, to act as peer educators among TB patients. Ms. Pagtakhan-Manipon conducts trainings for public health workers, NGOs and private companies. She is also active in planning and implementing strategies for TB prevention and control as well as monitoring and evaluation of TB programmes at local, regional and national level.

	Polina Petrovna Volkova is a chief nurse at the Mari-El Republican TB Hospital, Russia, and has a 20-year experience in TB nursing care and prevention. Ms. Polkova carried out research to discover the reasons for high levels of professional TB infection and risks. She participated in the development of a three-dimensional TB training programme for health care professionals, the population, patients and those in contact with them on principles of hygiene and healthy life style. She organises trainings, seminars and conferences for nurses working in TB hospitals. “Polina Volkova is one of the leading nurses on TB prevention, care and treatment. She feels that managing this situation and eliminating the spread of TB is not only her professional but her personal responsibility.” (Sarkisova, President Russian Nurses Association)

	Doreen Dlamini from Swaziland, is a registered nurse in the Ministry of Health and has 10 years of experience in the national TB programme. She participated in the ICN TB/MDR TB TOT programme in 2006 and focuses on training other health care workers on TB prevention, care and treatment, community awareness and mobilization as well as TB/HIV counselling.

	Lonnie Sautso Mkwepere is a nurse in Malawi. She participated in the ICN TB/MDR-TB TOT in 2006 and, in return, has trained 110 nurses and allied health care workers in TB prevention, care and treatment. "As a trainer in care and control of TB, TB related stigma and discrimination, my goal is to see positive change in care of TB patients. My focus is to build on already existing frameworks on TB to ensure that TB patients, guardians and their families get holistic nursing care. In addition, setting standards, client and family involvement will help in providing a conducive environment for quality care hence overcoming the problem of stigma and discrimination.” Ms Mkwepere ensured adequate staffing in the TB ward and improved the recording and reporting system. To advocate for TB prevention and to reduce TB related stigmatization and discrimination among the community she plans to organise drama performances, focus group discussions and interviews with health care workers.