As the world gears up to observe World Tuberculosis Day on 24 March, the Friends of the Sick Association (FOSA) has marked a significant milestone: 85 years since its establishment on 14 March 1941.
While TB continues to be among the top dreaded diseases of our time, with organisations such as the World Health Organisation and governments leading the fight against it, the disease is now under control. But organisations like FOSA continue to work in marginalised communities, bringing relief to the very communities they once served at the height of the TB crisis.
Founded to address the alarming rates of TB among impoverished communities of Indian descent, FOSA was established by a dedicated group of community leaders including Reverend Paul Carton Sykes, Reverend Harold W. Satchell, Kenneth Reuben Nair, Braim Nkonde and Dr R.D. Naidu. The Stonebridge branch in Phoenix celebrated its 48th anniversary just days earlier, on 4 March.
Historical accounts indicate that during the initial stages, the alarming prevalence of TB among the Indian community in Natal left many vulnerable and living in unsatisfactory conditions. Recognising the urgent need for intervention, Sykes and his fellow founders launched FOSA and set up 54 Area Care Committees (ACC) populated by volunteers across the Natal province. The Stonebridge ACC was established on 4 March 1978, followed by the formation of Redfern, Whetstone and Phoenix North ACCs.
According to FOSA administrator Matthew Subben, the organisation wasted no time in reaching out to TB patients who were being treated at home.
"Generally, most TB cases were from low-income groups and the unemployed," he explained, highlighting the struggles faced by many in the community.
Families in dire need soon became the focus of FOSA's assistance. A special Grants Committee was formed to evaluate cases requiring financial support for essentials such as food, rent and utilities. In instances of extreme hardship, particularly for patients in poor living conditions, FOSA moved families to a settlement where they could be provided with cottages.
Subben recounted how Suleman Paruk, a member of the Lockhat family, opted to donate 25 acres of land in Newlands, which marked a pivotal moment in FOSA's journey.
"The site became the foundation for FOSA's residential facilities," he noted.
By Christmas Eve in 1942, the first convalescent patient was welcomed into a temporary cottage on this property. Subsequent developments led to the construction of additional rondavels and 29 cottages aimed at accommodating TB-affected families.
A dedicated TB hospital, or step-down facility, was also established to care for in-patients. Initially housing more than 200 patients, this facility eventually catered to 125 individuals until the hospital's closure in 2015. Tuberculosis management was transferred to the Department of Health in 2005. Since then, FOSA has diversified its initiatives to benefit the broader community.
Today, FOSA remains committed to community welfare through various projects including an annual school shoe distribution, wheelchair assistance for the sick, and the establishment of a weaving school. Diabetes awareness and testing programmes span across the northern and southern regions of Durban, complemented by weekly soup kitchens at health clinics in Phoenix, Inanda, Kenville, Glen Earle and Newlands West. Throughout the year, FOSA also organises various health events aimed at promoting well-being among local residents.
Subben reflected on the organisation's enduring mission.
"The FOSA motto, 'one friend for one sick,' still holds true today," he said. "We help one person at a time. Our work continues to evolve and change as time goes by. We are active to date and will help wherever and whenever a need arises."