SEBOKENG. – Reamohetse, a Tuberculosis (TB) clinic inside Sebokeng Hospital recently commemorated World TB Day.
World Tuberculosis Day, observed on March 24 each year, is designed to raise public awareness about the global epidemic of Tuberculosis and efforts to eliminate the disease.
This year, the theme was ‘Save Lives’ which conveys the urgent need to invest resources to ramp up the fight against TB and achieve the commitments to end TB.
Sebokeng’s spokeswoman, Lerato Sedulawesi says: “The event held an impactful discussion about the disease, background, current statistics, reasons for rapid spread of the disease, the importance of starting and completing treatment, and stigmas surrounding TB.
The theme of the event was: “Invest in the action to end TB now. Get screened. Save lives.”Guest speaker and TB survivor, Clauretta Mohaeka, shared her experience of having lived with the disease. She spoke about the hardships she faced in her community and in the workplace.
She also spoke about how she overcame the odds. Dr. Kgomotso Thipe from ANOVA highlighted the importance of working together with the community to fight TB.
“It’s encouraging to hear that health care workers at Sebokeng Hospital extend themselves as far as to visit the homes of infected patients to gather necessary contacts and to survey their living conditions.”
Thipe said it was imperative to end the stigma surrounding TB. “Health care workers want to help you fight TB, regardless of who you are.” Sister Grace Radebe, Assistant Director at Sedibeng District TB program spoke about the vision to end TB by the year 2030.
Radebe urged all community members to get screened and act at the first sign of TB symptoms. Elizabeth Kodisang, Assistant Director for HIV/AIDS and STI said it it was imperative to support one another as the fight against Tuberculosis continues.
