Living With Multidrug-Resistant TB in Peru: Kioshi's Journey

Note: The following was originally published in Spanish on Socios En Salud’s blog.

In December 2023, Kioshi Vásquez, a 19-year-old living in Lima, Peru, was at work when he started coughing. It didn't feel like an ordinary cough, and after noticing traces of blood, he immediately went to the emergency department of Daniel Alcides Carrión National Hospital, located in Callao, a port city 12 kilometers from Lima.

"They told me it wasn't serious, so they gave me an injection to prevent the hemorrhage and bleeding," he recalled.  

Despite these assurances, doctors recommended an additional test that same day to rule out tuberculosis (TB). The tests came back negative—every time. Yet, the cough persisted. And so did the blood.  

"I was very scared because I didn't know what was wrong with me," he admitted. "I didn't tell anyone at work because I thought I might get fired."  

Vásquez had nowhere to turn. He had been living alone after a fallout with his family. The independence he'd once embraced now felt overwhelming. Determined to find answers, Vásquez decided to get an X-ray at the same facility. A few days before Christmas, he received the diagnosis: he had TB.

"At that point, I said, what do I do now? I live alone, I don't know what to do," he said.  

Further testing revealed that Vásquez had multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB), one of the most difficult forms of the disease to treat.  

Peru—one of the countries with the highest TB burden in Latin America—detects around 1,500 cases of MDR-TB each year, according to the Ministry of Health (MINSA, in Spanish). However, detection and treatment rates remain low worldwide. The Pan American Health Organization reports that of the 400,000 who developed MDR-TB in 2023, only 44% received a diagnosis and access to treatment.  

“Fortunately, Vásquez’s persistence led to a diagnosis—but that was just the beginning,” Betsabé Roman, TB Program project coordinator at Socios En Salud (SES), as Partners In Health is known in Peru, said.  

Treating MDR-TB involves a grueling regimen that can last up to two years, involving two to three injections daily along with countless pills.  

"It was very difficult, really, very difficult," he said.

The Accompaniment That Made the Difference  

Since he lived in Carabayllo, a district north of Lima, Vásquez was referred to the Raúl Porras Barrenechea Health Center for treatment. Its proximity made access easier, but conflicting commitments prevented him from attending his first treatment appointment.  

"I actually didn't go until the nurse in charge called me and told me I had to go, no matter what, or my illness could get worse," Vásquez admitted. "I won't deny that there were times I didn't go because I had to go every day, and I had to work and didn't have the time. But deep down, I knew I had to recover and not just give up."  

That was when SES reached out.  

Roman explained that since 2022, SES has been implementing its TB Elimination strategy in key areas such as Carabayllo and Metropolitan Lima. The initiative is built on three fundamental pillars: screening, treatment, and prevention.

To detect TB cases early, the SES team conducts active screening in vulnerable communities using portable X-ray machines and molecular tests. But their work doesn't stop with diagnosis. The strategy also ensures that patients receive the support needed to complete treatment.

This approach is carried out in close coordination with Peru’s MINSA health centers, such as the Raúl Porras Barrenechea Center where Vásquez was receiving care. In 2024 alone, SES’s TB Elimination strategy led to the detection of 81 cases of latent TB, 29 cases of susceptible TB, and three cases of MDR-TB in Carabayllo.  

"We intervened [in Vásquez’s treatment] when the nurse informed us about his case," said Hilda Valdivia, a nursing technician from SES on the project.

For Vásquez, this support from SES was instrumental. As he coped with the shock of his diagnosis and the debilitating side effects of treatment, which left him exhausted and sometimes reluctant to continue, the SES team began visiting him at home.  

"This way, we monitored his treatment, learned how he was feeling, identified his needs, and assessed what kind of support we could offer him. We also went to the health facility to help coordinate his care, whether it was testing or medical consultations," Valdivia explained.  

The support not only ensured that Vásquez continued treatment but also addressed social difficulties that could jeopardize his recovery. He received food supplies, clinical evaluations, and ongoing psychological support.  

Over time, the fear and uncertainty that had marked the beginning of his treatment began to dissipate. He still had a long road ahead, but he was no longer alone.  

The Strength to Move Forward  

Looking back, Vásquez acknowledges that his illness taught him an important lesson.  

“[Tuberculosis] made me really rethink who I am and how I am with others," he said.  

Like many people affected by TB, Vásquez initially feared sharing his diagnosis with those around him: his family, coworkers, even the owner of the room he was renting. But the experience ultimately reinforced the value of empathy and the need to combat stigma.

After a month and a half of daily injections, Peru’s National Retreatment Evaluation Committee—a MINSA body responsible for evaluating complex TB and MDR-TB cases—determined that Vásquez could transition to a shortened, all-oral regimen, easing his recovery process.

In 2025, Vásquez tested negative for TB and was discharged.  

Now 20 years old, this young man looks to the future with a different perspective. Surviving MDR-TB was not only about regaining his health but also about discovering his own resilience. His story is a testament to the challenges TB poses—and to the power of timely diagnosis, proper treatment, and unwavering support.

"I've had a lot of losses,” he said. “It's been very difficult for me to control the situations, but in the long run, or in the short run, it's possible. My advice is to hang in there and keep going."

Hear directly from Vásquez about his journey: https://youtu.be/CRn6kgmNHmU?si=JRWPhNOqzGUIjFNW