Tshwane Health pleads for vigilance amid growth in persistent TB cases

HAVING recorded the second-highest number of tuberculosis (TB) clinical diagnoses for the past six months, the City of Tshwane has pleaded for residents to remain vigilant this World Tuberculosis Day.

As the world marks World Tuberculosis Day, observed annually on March 24, health stakeholders across the country have once more gathered to discuss, among other things, the impact of the disease and challenges to its total eradication in communities.

This is especially as stakeholders have noted an emergence of Bedaquiline resistance and look to mitigation measures to combat this. Bedaquiline is a life-saving tuberculosis drug undergoing global scale-up to combat the disease.

Under this year’s national theme: “Yes! You and I can end TB,” South Africa and other UN members have committed to achieving the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of ending TB as an epidemic by 2030.

To achieve this target, South Africa has committed to reduce TB cases by 80% and TB deaths by 90% by 2030, compared with 2015 levels.

As discussions and solutions to curb the spread of the disease remain ongoing, Tshwane MMC for Health Rina Marx said there were concerns that people did not complete their treatment, which could lead to death.

“TB is treatable with medications for a period of six to 12 months and is curable through the correct use of the prescribed medication. Furthermore, HIV attacks the body’s immune system, making a person vulnerable to infections such as TB. However, it can still be cured.

“Over the past six months, Tshwane has recorded the second-highest number of clinically diagnosed TB cases after Johannesburg for the age group of 5 years and older, with 2 324 cases. Communities are urged to make use of these services to help mitigate the spread of TB,” Marx said.

The highly infectious disease mainly affects the lungs but can affect other parts of the body, and is spread through the air when infected people either sneeze or cough.

Symptoms include persistent coughing sometimes with blood, chest pain, fever, night sweats, weakness, fatigue and weight loss.