World TB Day: Deputy president emphasises urgency in pursuit of tuberculosis relief measures

Deputy president David Mabuza gave a keynote message during the World TB Day commemorations in the Ehlanzeni District Municipality’s chambers. The minister for health, Zweli Mkhize, introduced the deputy president to the guests and also commented on World TB Day himself.

During his speech, Mabuza said: “Today we are reminded as citizens of the world that we have to act with a sense of urgency in pursuit of TB targets advocated in the sustainable development goals, the World Health Organisation’s End TB Strategy and the 2018 Political Declaration of the UN Meeting on TB.”

According to Mabuza, the potential diversion of priority focus and financial resources away from TB programmes to fund the response to the Covid-19 pandemic, pose serious risks to the consolidation of global efforts to end TB.

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Anele Yawa, the general secretary of the Treatment Action Campaign, handed over a memorandum of grievances to the deputy president before the event started.

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Read more in future publications.