However, MMC for Health and Social Development, Nonceba Molwele said the battle against tuberculosis has not been won. March is Tuberculosis (TB) Month in South Africa, and it has been reported that TB causes thousands of deaths every year in this country and the rest of the world.
Molwele said the massive TB Screening Campaign, launched in November last year is continuing and higher, more ambitious, targets are being set to improve the cure rate. These are in line with the United Nation’s ‘90 percent Strategy’.TB is an infectious disease that is spread from person to person through the air. It affects mostly the lungs but can also have a health impact on other parts of the body.
Molwele said, “The good news is that there is a decrease in the number of new TB infections in the City of Johannesburg. The number of TB cases in the City has declined steadily from 21 264 in 2011 to 15 244 in 2015. This can be attributed to the success of the City’s TB and HIV awareness and treatment programmes.”
She said the number of patients who are being cured following treatment stands at 85 percent and the mortality rate has declined to only 3.3 percent.
The City’s excellent performance was noticed, as in 2015 the Johannesburg District was named as the Best Performing TB Control Programme in Gauteng over the past three years.
Facts and figures:
TB remains the leading cause of illness and death in South Africa and globally. The country has the 3rd highest number of new TB cases reported in the world – surpassed only by India and China.
Stats SA has confirmed TB to be the ‘number one killer’ in the country – responsible for almost 38 000 mortalities annually – 8.4 percent of deaths. More than 450 000 new cases of are reported in the world every year.
Four ways to detect possible TB symptoms:
- A persistent cough that continues for more than two weeks – or any cough if the person is HIV positive.
- A fever that lasts longer than 14 days.
- Unexplained weight loss of more than 1.5kg in a month.
- Drenching night sweats and sudden fatigue among children.
Four ways to prevent the spread of TB:
- Cover your nose and mouth when sneezing and cough into your elbows.
- Ensure your house is adequately ventilated.
- Live a healthy lifestyle through regular exercises and a balanced diet.
- Go for testing at City health facilities if you display any of the symptoms.
Four positive messages about TB treatment:
- TB can be completely cured if the treatment is followed for six months.
- Testing and treatment for TB and HIV are free at all government clinics.
- The spread of TB can be prevented through easy to follow changes in behaviour and healthy living.
- Families and communities can contribute to health by encouraging patients to continue their treatment until they are cured.
