27/03/2015
Get tested for TB – Urges Deputy President
Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa supports the national department of Health in the fight against tuberculosis (TB). His stance emanates from the statistics revealed by the 2014 Statistician-General report that TB remained the number one killer of South Africans.
Ramaphosa was speaking at the formal launch of the screening campaign held in Kanana Township, in the City of Matlosana recently.
He said in the country, the incidence is the highest among the 22 countries currently responsible for 80% of the world's total TB burden.
“This is a response to the nation’s high TB burden. We are part of a global campaign to focus national responses on key populations and vulnerable groups with an elevated risk of TB infection. “
Among hot spots identified as red zones are correctional services facilities, mines, communities in mining areas and children, especially those under the age of 5 years.
To combat the TB wave, government has identified six priority districts for the screening campaign which include Lejweleputswa in the Free State, West Rand in Gauteng, Sekhukhune and Waterberg in Limpopo as well as Bojanala and Dr Kenneth Kaunda in the North West Province.
The TB screening Campaign will operate for three(3) years. In the first year the department of Health aims to screen at least 135,000 inmates in correctional facilities and up to half a million mineworkers. In these six districts, around 5 million community members and 1.2 million children in schools, early childhood development centres and crèches are targeted. Up to 59 000 inmates have already been screened, which is a third of all sentenced offenders and awaiting-trial detainees. The programme is on track to screen more than 90% by March 2017, with numbers of 140 000 community members previously screened in six districts.
In the second year of the screening campaign, there will be an additional focus on the metropolitan councils. In the third year, government resolved to add the provinces of the Eastern Cape, Gauteng, KwaZulu Natal and the Western Cape.
Deputy President also stressed that poor socio-economic conditions that prevail in communities, especially poor housing and food insufficiency, provide a breeding ground for diseases such as TB, with children being particularly vulnerable. Early childhood development can help to reduce infection among children and facilitate more effective detection. “Unfortunately, good quality early childhood centre and crèches are scarce in many communities, with some operating from shack structures. We are therefore delighted that Aspen has undertaken to sponsor the building of a new early childhood development centre here in Kanana. We are grateful also to AngloGold Ashanti for sponsoring a maternity and child care ward at Botshabelo Community Health Centre in Khuma.”
The mentioned projects underscore the need for the private sector to play a prominent role in tackling TB and supporting public health and development initiatives. “We look in particular to mining companies, whose assistance is critical in responding decisively to TB. With these interventions, we aim to achieve the World Health Organization’s 2025 annual targets by reducing TB incidence to less than 150,000 infections, compared to more than 400,000 currently. "We aim to reduce TB deaths to less than 20,000, compared to more than 120,000 currently. Prospects for success are high. We have the support not only of our social partners here in South Africa, but also internationally,” Ramaphosa said.
