Consortium seeks answers from parliament
Statistics as presented at the TB Accountability Consortium in Rosebank showed that in 2021, 54 000 people lost their lives to TB.
South Africa’s chairperson for the Portfolio Committee on Health provided TB advocates and members of the media with an update on parliament’s approach to dealing with the country’s increasing TB epidemic.
Dr Kenneth Jacobs delivered the update through the TB Accountability Consortium held at the Southern Sun in Rosebank. The consortium was from October 25–26 and the Gazette attended the one on the first day. Communications specialist at Rural Health Advocacy Project, Phemelo Khaas said Dr Jacobs’ address officially opened the inaugural convening of the consortium.
The convening was the first of what will become an annual gathering of TB advocates to discuss the critical milestones that need to be met to improve the rollout of the TB programme in the country. Khaas highlighted that TB remains one of South Africa’s biggest killers; according to statistics released by the World Health Organisation, an estimated 304 000 individuals fell ill with TB in South Africa in 2021, and a staggering 54 000 lost their lives to this disease.
Dr Jacobs’ address came seven months after SA Health Minister Joe Phaahla launched the National TB Recovery Plan as well as the new National Strategic Plan (NSP) on HIV, TB and STIs 2023–2028, which will guide the implementation of these programmes for the next five years. In the last seven months, there has been no indication on how programmes will be rolled out.
The TB Accountability Consortium was established as an advocacy project to help improve the accountability around the TB response in South Africa and in so doing improve the outcomes of the overall programme.
Dr Jacobs said their role is to emphasise where focus and attention should mostly be to ensure the most important challenges in terms of healthcare are addressed. He said only through community action, engagement and consortiums, such as these, would one see better outcomes.
Lynette Mabote of the Treatment Action Group shared more on the diagnostics in the SA NSP 2023–2028 and said the said the plan:
- Aims to increase access to TB diagnostic services, including molecular diagnostic tests, in all provinces
- Aims to improve the quality of TB diagnostic services by ensuring that all diagnostic tests are performed according to national guidelines and standards
- Recognises the importance of addressing the challenges related to the implementation of new diagnostic tests such as Xpert Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTB) and resistance to rifampin (RIF)
- Recognise the need for adequate training of healthcare workers and the need for appropriate infrastructure and equipment
- Aims to strengthen the laboratory network to ensure that all diagnostic tests are performed in accredited laboratories
- Recognises the importance of using digital tools to improve TB diagnosis and treatment, including the use of electronic medical records for mobile health technologies.
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