Community TB Advocacy is a national, community-led initiative representing people living with and affected by tuberculosis (TB) in Papua New Guinea. Operating across National Capital District (NCD), Morobe, and Eastern Highlands provinces, the network works to ensure that TB-affected individuals are not only recipients of care—but leaders in shaping the TB response.
As a member of KPAC PNG, the initiative promotes the meaningful involvement of affected communities in improving TB services, policy, and public awareness.
Community Empowerment and Advocacy
We empower individuals affected by TB to become advocates for change through training in:
Legal literacy
Patient rights
Community-Led Monitoring (CLM)
These efforts aim to improve the quality, accessibility, and accountability of TB services, while actively challenging stigma and discrimination faced by TB-affected individuals.
“One Impact” Digital Monitoring Training
In April 2025, Community TB Advocacy conducted a nationwide training on the One Impact mobile application—an innovative digital platform that enables users to:
Monitor and report on TB service delivery
Identify and escalate challenges in real time
Access reliable TB-related information and support
This training equipped local resource persons and peer leaders to use the app as a tool for community-based surveillance and service improvement, aligning with KPAC’s broader CLM framework.
By placing the power of information, data, and advocacy into the hands of TB-affected communities, Community TB Advocacy is working to transform Papua New Guinea’s TB response from the ground up.
In another community, MJ faced a different kind of battle.
Her close friend had just been diagnosed with TB. At first, it was confusion. Then fear. Then distance. Her friend’s family, afraid of infection and unsure what to do, slowly withdrew from her. Plates were left outside her room. Conversations stopped. The house felt colder. She was still alive, but she was already being treated like she didn’t belong.
MJ watched this unfold with a heavy heart. But she had something many others did not: knowledge.
Through her work with KPAC PNG and the TB training she had attended, she understood that TB spreads through bacteria in the air, not through sharing love, kindness, or compassion. She knew that treatment works. She knew patients need support, not isolation. So she made a decision.
“I could not leave her alone,” MJ says.
She rented a small place and moved her friend there. For six months, she became her caregiver, her encourager, her sister in strength. She made sure her friend ate nutritious food. She reminded her to take her medication every single day.
She stayed when the nights were long and discouraging. She reassured her when stigma felt heavier than the illness itself. There were difficult days, days when her friend felt tired of swallowing pills, tired of feeling weak, tired of being talked about.
But MJ would remind her: “This treatment is your pathway back to life.”
And slowly, it was.
The coughing eased.
The weight returned.
The energy came back.
After six months, she completed her full course of medication.
Today, she is healthy. She has returned to work. She walks with strength again. The same community that once feared her now sees her resilience. Her survival was not just because of medicine. It was because someone understood.
Last year, I visited one of my peers after hearing she was unwell. When I arrived at her home, my heart broke. She was bedridden, extremely weak, and had lost a lot of weight. I could hardly believe what I was seeing.
But what hurt even more was not just her illness — it was the fear and stigma surrounding her.
People in the community were scared of her because of her weight loss. Rumours were spreading that she had been poisoned by village people. Instead of support, she faced isolation. She did not go to the hospital because she had no money, and she felt ashamed of her condition. She had lost her confidence.
I knew I could not stand by and do nothing.
As a trained volunteer with KPAC, I contacted KPAC immediately. We arranged for a vehicle to pick her up. When it was time to move her, everyone was too afraid to carry her. So I took courage. I carried my friend into the vehicle myself.
At the hospital, I spoke to the nurse on her behalf. She was admitted and put on a drip. I stayed close to her, supporting her through those difficult first days.
Later, I met with her family. We had a deep and honest conversation. I explained what Tuberculosis (TB) is and how it affects the body. I educated them about the two types of TB:
I helped them understand that TB is caused by bacteria — not by poisoning, curses, or witchcraft. TB is treatable. TB is curable. But only if a person seeks medical help early.
It was a roller coaster for us as young women. But we fought for her rights.
She had the right to live.
She had the right to access health services.
She had the right to dignity and support.
Through education and persistence, her family began to understand. They started supporting her treatment. Slowly, she regained her strength.
Today, my friend is no longer bedridden. She has joined our TB support group. Together, we are now trained advocates supporting communities. We help link clients to TB and HIV testing services so they can know their status early and receive proper care.
We teach communities about healthy living, early screening, and ending stigma.
My friend now shares this message:
“If you are continuously coughing, please go for TB screening”
Her voice is now strong. Her story is powerful.
A TB survivor’s testimony highlights how lack of knowledge about patient rights fuels stigma and discrimination
“After attending TB Rights training by KPAC & Community TB Advocacy, I gained confidence, dignity, and resilience to complete treatment while challenging discrimination. This case demonstrates that rights-based education is a cost-effective intervention that reduces stigma, fosters inclusivity, and empowers survivors to drive community change. Expanding such training will strengthen public health outcomes and maximize donor impact”.
– Joshua
