The City of Johannesburg will be joining the global community in activities to commemorate World Tuberculosis (TB) Day on Thursday 24 March 22 to raise public awareness about the devastating health and socio-economic consequences of TB and to increase efforts to end the global TB epidemic.

This year’s theme is ‘Invest to End TB. Save Lives.’  It conveys an urgent need to invest resources to ramp up the fight against TB and achieve the commitments made by global leaders to end TB.

TB is a communicable disease which is amongst the top leading causes of death globally and a major cause of illness in the world. It is caused by the bacillus, Mycobacterium tuberculosis which, when exhaled by an infected person remains in the air and can be inhaled by another person The bacteria/germ can be expelled into the air by either coughing, sneezing, talking and or singing. The disease most often affects the person’s lungs but can also affect any site of one’s body. TB remains one of the world’s deadliest infectious killers with nearly 4000 people dying and close to 28 000 falling ill with this preventable and curable disease each day. Global efforts to combat TB have saved an estimated 66 million lives since the year 2000. World Health organization (WHO) reported 9.9 million people fell ill with TB in 2020 alone and 1.5 million people were reported to have died with TB in the same year.

“In South Africa the theme has been revised to “Invest in action to End TB now! Get Screened. End Stigma. Save lives.” More investment will save millions more lives, accelerating the end of the TB epidemic. It is important to ensure equitable access to prevention and care in line with WHO’s drive towards achieving Universal Health Coverage”, says Councillor Ashley Sauls 1, Member of the Mayoral Committee for Health and Social Development in Johannesburg. This is especially critical in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic that has put the End TB campaign at risk.

MMC Sauls 1 said that The Health and Social Development Department “will intensify ward-based campaigns” to screen and test the public in the seven regions for “HIV, TB, STIs, COVID19 and non-communicable diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes mellitus and prostate cancer”. Additionally, condoms and health information leaflets will also be distributed to encourage healthy living by residents.

In the Johannesburg Health District 6 444 807 clients, five years and older were screened for TB symptoms in the past year 2021. 110 895 (1.7%) were identified to have symptoms. These clients were subsequently subjected to further tests and 7 820 were confirmed to have TB. In accordance with the medical processes, they were all placed on treatment for TB for a minimum duration of six months. TB and HIV testing and treatment is free at all government clinics. All patients entering city facilities are screened for signs and symptoms of tuberculosis and are also counselled for HIV testing. This includes both adults and children. TB can be cured if medication is taken according to instructions and a full course is completed.  HIV positive people and those with TB are more likely to experience severe COVID19 symptoms if infected compared to those without the two diseases thus discriminating against those diagnosed with TB/HIV can only worsen this public health problem.

The South African policy of universal test and treat (UTT), which was introduced in September 2016 has been implemented in all the healthcare facilities in the City because it is committed to improved access of TB and HIV services. The policy has made antiretroviral therapy (ART) to be available to all HIV infected persons regardless of CD4 count. Same day initiation (SDI), advocating ART initiation on the day of a patient’s HIV diagnosis is done by trained nurse clinicians. The steady decrease in the number of newly diagnosed TB cases can also be attributed to better access to ART services and provision of Tuberculosis Preventative Therapy (TPT).

Ends

For tips on how to prevent TB and HIV click on this link https://tinyurl.com/TB-and-HIV-Awareness

You can also visit your nearest clinic for professional assistance and advice.

For more information contact Edwin Madibogo: Manager TB 011 407 6327

Issued by
Virgil James
Communications Specialist
082 467 9415

22/03/2022