KILIMANJARO: THE Siha District–based Kibong’oto Infectious Disease Hospital (KIDH) has launched an innovative agricultural project aimed at supporting Tuberculosis (TB) patients by improving their mental wellbeing while enabling them to earn income during prolonged treatment periods.
The initiative, which involves vegetable gardening and fruit tree farming, targets patients undergoing long-term TB treatment at the national referral hospital, and is designed to complement conventional medical care.
Speaking recently during a media briefing at the hospital, KIDH Director Dr Leonard Subi said the project was introduced in response to the psychological and social challenges faced by TB patients who remain hospitalised for extended periods.
“Tuberculosis is a preventable and curable disease, but it remains a major global public health burden,” Dr Subi said.
He added: “Due to the nature of TB treatment, patients are required to stay in hospital for long periods, sometimes several months, which can have a serious impact on their mental health.”
He explained that lengthy hospital stays, combined with demanding medication schedules, often expose patients to depression, anxiety and emotional fatigue.
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“When someone stays in hospital for months while taking strong medication daily, it affects their morale and mental strength,” he said, adding that “some patients begin to feel isolated, hopeless and disconnected from their normal lives.”
Dr Subi said it was this reality that prompted the hospital management to design a non-pharmacological intervention that could improve patients’ psychological wellbeing while also empowering them economically.
As part of the programme, patients who are physically stable, particularly those in recovery phases, participate in vegetables and fruit trees farming within the hospital grounds under professional guidance.
“This programme serves as a form of therapeutic gardening,” he said.
According to Dr Subi, through engaging in productive agricultural activities, patients regain a sense of purpose, improve their mental health and, at the same time, generate some income.”
He added that the initiative aligns with modern holistic healthcare approaches that recognise mental wellbeing as a critical component of physical recovery.
KIDH Community Development Officer, Mr Wazoel Mshana, said the project was especially beneficial for patients referred from distant regions who often struggle with homesickness and emotional stress.
“Many of our TB patients come from far regions across the country and are required to stay here for long periods,” Mr Mshana said, adding that one of the biggest challenges they face is missing their families and communities.
He explained that prolonged treatment duration is one of the main challenges in TB management, as many patients tend to discontinue medication before completing the full course.
“TB treatment normally takes between six and nine months and in some cases up to a year,” he said.
He said patients stop treatment due to various factors including forgetfulness, fear of side effects, distance from health facilities and lack of emotional support.
Mr Mshana said the hospital insists on full compliance with treatment guidelines to prevent drug resistance and relapse.
“Our priority is to ensure patients complete their treatment from start to finish,” he said.
He added that mental resilience is essential in managing chronic TB, especially given the heavy and long medication schedules.
He noted that without psychological stability, patients may struggle to adhere to treatment, undermining recovery efforts.
The agricultural project, he said, provides a constructive outlet that combines physical activity, mental stimulation and social interaction.
“Through gardening, patients engage in productive work, exercise their bodies and stabilise their mental state,” Mr Mshana said, adding that this has become an important complementary part of their treatment process.
He added that the project has been made possible through financial support from LH International Development Partners of Norway, who funded the establishment of vegetable gardens and fruit tree plots.
Since its inception, the project has recorded encouraging results, including improved patient morale and enhanced economic independence.
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“Patients earn small incomes from selling surplus vegetables, which they use for personal needs and to support family members back home,” he said.
One of the beneficiaries, Mr Jely Mgala, a TB patient from Mbozi District in Mbeya Region, said the initiative has significantly improved patients’ lives at the hospital.
“Before this programme, after taking our medication we would just sit idle waiting for the next treatment session,” Mr Mgala said. “There was no physical activity and no income-generating opportunity.”
He said the gardening project has transformed patients’ daily routines.
“Now we work in the gardens, exercise our bodies, get fresh food and earn some money from selling vegetables,” he said. “It has helped us mentally and physically, and it makes hospital life more meaningful.”
Mr Mgala expressed gratitude to the hospital management for introducing the programme, saying it has restored hope and motivation among TB patients.
Health experts say such initiatives not only improve patient outcomes but also strengthen long-term adherence to TB treatment, contributing to national and global efforts to combat the disease.