By Dumbani Mzale, contributor:

Phoneous Mulimbo from Mulanje District is the fitting epitome of a survivor who bade farewell to death’s bed after a long battle with tuberculosis (TB).

He is always passionate when sharing his emotive story on any given platform. His tale is three-pronged, beginning with how he was diagnosed, treated and ultimately recovered from the scourge.

“For three years, from 2017, I was bedridden and unable to function. I couldn’t walk or talk and would end up soiling myself.

“After we went to the hospital, I was diagnosed with TB. I was immediately put on a treatment plan, while observing all precautionary measures so that my family would not contract it,” Mulimbo recalls.

He is grateful to the health personnel from Khoviwa Village and his wife, who nursed him back to health without subjecting him to any stigma.

Mulimbo is now a dedicated advocate, helping to raise awareness of TB while also promoting treatment and preventative measures to other TB patients across the country.

His passion for fighting TB mirrors that of First Lady Monica Chakwera, who shares a similar dedication to this cause.

Chakwera is a committed ambassador for TB in Malawi and the Southern African Development Community, acting with a sense of urgency in the battle against the disease.

On several occasions, she has expressed her zeal and determination to see Malawi end TB by 2030.

The First Lady’s commitment to eliminating TB was again evident on Monday, March 24, 2025, when she presided over the commemoration of World TB Day 2025 at Mgona Community Ground in Lilongwe.

This year, Chakwera led the country in reflecting also on World Leprosy Day, acknowledging the shared burden these two diseases impose on individuals, families and communities.

The double commemoration reminded every Malawian of the urgent need to raise awareness, confront stigma and accelerate collective efforts to eliminate both TB and Leprosy.

The global themes for this year, ‘Yes! We Can End TB: Commit, Invest, Deliver’ and ‘Unite, Act, Eliminate Leprosy’, echo a resounding call to action.

“This reminds us that together, we have the power to end these diseases by 2030, as part of our commitment to the health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),” Chakwera said.

For the First Lady, such themes call upon every leader and stakeholder to turn pledges made at the 2023 United Nations High- Level Meeting into action, actions rooted in sound policy, strong political will and community engagement.

Generally, this year’s themes emphasise the need for robust and sustained financing, as well as increased investments to reach the unreached, strengthen health systems and safeguard the health and dignity of all Malawians.

“These themes urge us to translate commi