Call to action: You can help end SA’s TB epidemic
TB kills hundreds of thousands of South Africans every year, but we can have a country free of this infectious disease and you can play a role in this
Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the leading causes of deaths in South Africa and that is why everyone is being encouraged to get screened.
The Department of Health is calling upon all South Africans to take action and present themselves for screening in health facilities as well as during community campaigns in their areas.
"A TB free South Africa is possible with everyone’s
commitment and participation in the TB screening campaigns," it
said in a statement.
TB is an infectious bacterial
disease that is caused by a germ that most commonly attacks and
damages the lungs. It can be easily passed to others.
When
an infected person coughs, sneezes or spits saliva onto the
ground, the germs are spread into the surrounding air and remain
there for a long time. If you inhale that air, you can breathe
in the germs and get infected.
Despite government efforts to increase screening and testing,
introducing new tests and second line TB medicines, the
ongoing transmission of TB in communities has not been
curtailed.
"TB remains one of the major diseases of
public health importance with more than 300 000 cases reported
annually," said the department.
"Moreover, multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR TB) and
extremely drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) is on the
increase with more than 10 000 and 500 cases reported annually
respectively," it added.
"This is
compounded by the high HIV burden with co-infection rates
estimated at 62 percent. South Africa is one of the 22 countries
with the highest burden of TB which contribute 80 percent of the
total global burden of all TB cases."
On World TB Day the government announced plans to curb the
scourge of TB by launching a campaign under the theme
Ending South Africa’s TB epidemic.
As
part of this, the department of health is targeting high risk
groups such as inmates, miners, informal settlements, people
living with HIV, pregnant women, children and diabetics to be
screened.
It said How will I know? TB campaigns are presently
being run in communities across the country.
"The
population is not only screened for TB but also tested and those
found to have TB immediately put on treatment," said the
department.
Source:
Health24.com
