One of the biggest challenges to reduce South Africa’s TB burden is people’s ability to complete their treatment. But, in two provinces, the country’s TB ambassadors are working to fix this. The TBAC team reached out to dedicated TB champions in the Eastern Cape and Western Cape to discuss the challenges in the provinces and how they mobilise people and help link them to care. Provincial TB champions raised concerns about patients being lost-to follow up and how cross-border and inter-districts movements affects treatment completion. They share their insights on the realities on the ground and the work being done […]

Civil society organisations are sounding the alarm over South Africa’s underfunded public health system, warning that continued neglect is threatening years of progress in reducing TB cases and improving rural healthcare.   In presentations to the Standing Committee on Appropriations, the TB Accountability Consortium (TBAC) and the Rural Health Advocacy Project (RHAP) called for urgent political will, better planning, and targeted investment in vulnerable communities.  RHAP highlighted that despite the government’s planned R20 billion increase to the health budget, rural communities would continue to face dire health outcomes. Researcher and policy officer Celene Coleman noted that RHAP welcomed the hiring […]