Combating antimicrobial resistance (AMR)
Animals are precious to our Maasai tribe, but I never expected I would contract zoonotic tuberculosis (TB) from our staple foods—un-boiled milk, rare meat and blood. I was treated with a wide range of antibiotics due to misdiagnosis until I was finally admitted to Nairobi hospital where lab tests confirmed TB. The seven months of anti-TB drugs and month of injections changed me forever. I since started an NGO to educate communities on TB. We collect sputum from suspected patients, educate on the importance of getting tested and counsel on treatment adherence. Additionally, we help build windows in our Maasai manyattas (huts) to ensure proper ventilation, which helps prevent the spread of TB. Because all of us need to be resistance fighters.