Titus Kyalo, 36, is receiving treatment in a tent in Kenyatta National Hospital for multi-drug resistant Tuberculosis (MDR-TB) and spoke to IRIN/PlusNews about his life since the diagnosis:
“I was diagnosed with TB on 4 July 2006 after becoming very sick. I went to hospital and I was given some medicine and I received daily injections for five months, but I did not feel better; instead, the drugs affected my liver and I was admitted in hospital for one-and-a-half weeks.
“A culture [test for TB strains] was done and I was told I had MDR-TB. They said it was deadly.
“Luckily, the company I was working for in Mombasa paid for my treatment for the first six months but they stopped because of the expense. My family was really worried; I could not afford to pay for the medicine [the full dosage costs at least US$13,000]. I wanted to go into the forest and be alone.
“I asked around and I was referred to Kenyatta Hospital in Nairobi, where I was told the medicines were free. I moved to Nairobi since it was cheaper and I started receiving treatment at the hospital in April.
“This disease is infectious and I have to take precautions. My wife sleeps in a different room. When we are having dinner, I normally eat first before the others, I also use my own utensils.
“In public, I have to wear a mask, especially in crowded places, like in the matatus [public transport vehicles]. People are not used to the masks, they look at [us] suspiciously and they are scared.
“The daily injections make my legs weak and numb, sometimes I am drowsy and I also have a loose bladder. But I am feeling better; it’s not like before.”
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This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions
