Intensified calls to end TB

Deputy president Paul Mashatile visited three households to conduct tuberculosis (TB) screening and testing in Gamalakhe on Monday last week.

Mashatile was leading the World TB Day commemoration as the chairperson of the South African National Aids Council (SANAC).

Speaking at the Ugu Sports and Leisure Centre, the deputy president said South Africa still has one of the highest TB burdens globally.

He explained that South Africa was among 30 countries accounting for 87% of the global TB burden.

He called for urgent action to combat this infectious disease, which claims the lives of thousands of citizens each year.

The SANAC chairperson explained that TB is preventable and curable, even for those living with HIV.

Under the theme “Yes! We Can End TB: Commit, Invest, Deliver”, World TB Day was observed on March 24.

“Today, we join the global community to commemorate World TB Day. We unite as a nation with a shared purpose to end tuberculosis. TB is not merely a medical issue; it is a human rights issue. Every person, regardless of their background, deserves access to life-saving treatment. About 58 000 people with TB in South Africa remain undiagnosed. These are our mothers, fathers, brothers, and sisters – people who deserve care and dignity. We must reach them,” he said.

The deputy president also launched the End TB campaign, which aims to test five million people by the end of March 2026 and annually thereafter.

“This will, in turn, result in a 29% reduction in TB incidence and a 41% reduction in TB mortality by 2035. We will work with community leaders, traditional healers, and media platforms to spread the message that TB is preventable, treatable, and curable,” he said.

Mashatile also reminded attendees of the ongoing stigma and discrimination faced by those living with HIV and TB.

He said that two years ago, SANAC initiated the development of Human Rights Charters aimed at protecting the rights of key populations affected by TB and HIV.

While progress has been made, said Mashatile, they noted that some provinces have not launched their charters, emphasising the need to address the stigma actively.

Mashatile said that under SANAC’s coordination, they will embark on a mass mobilisation drive to rally all South Africans behind the End TB initiative.

Meanwhile, Minister of Health Dr Aaron Motsoaledi said TB resulted in more deaths than all other infectious diseases combined but receives less attention.

He said there was an urgent need to tackle this public health crisis.

“TB is one of the oldest and deadliest diseases, yet it continues to be a silent killer,” said Motsoaledi.

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