By: Aphelele Buqwana Getting tested for TB often means producing a sputum sample as the first step. But this can be difficult for people who have no symptoms, cannot cough up sputum or cannot easily access their local clinic. In South Africa, these gaps in testing contribute to thousands of people with TB going undiagnosed. An estimated 65 000 people with TB were missed by the health system in 2024, meaning they may not have been diagnosed or received treatment. Researchers in the country are looking at whether a simple tongue swab could offer another way to screen for TB, […]
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Ending TB in South Africa will require more than just a biomedical response. It will need a response that includes social development, recognising TB as more than a health issue, but as a socio-economic challenge shaped by poverty, unemployment, food insecurity and other factors that continue to influence people’s vulnerability to the disease and their ability to complete treatment. However, in Gauteng, efforts to engage a multisectoral response to the disease will need to be strengthened and further built up to improve TB outcomes and close the gaps that continue to fuel the epidemic. Recently, members of the Gauteng Provincial […]
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By: Russell Rensburg, Rural Health Advocacy Project South Africa’s battle to tackle one of the world’s oldest, curable and preventable diseases came into the spotlight again at the recent SA TB Conference. Over four days, scientists, researchers, advocates and government officials discussed some of the key challenges in our response to one of the leading causes of death in the country. These include the diagnostic gap, the persistent challenges of adherence, the impact of socioeconomic factors and the need for bolder action and political will. On the other hand, there is genuine reason for optimism. New diagnostic technologies are becoming available. […]
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By: Aphelele Buqwana Community voices and lived experience took centre stage at the 9th SA TB Conference 2026, where TB champions from across South Africa participated in discussions, presentations and activities that showed the important role of affected communities in the country’s TB response. Champions participated in satellite sessions, poster presentations and the conference’s Amazing Race, sharing experiences and insights from their work in communities. Among those recognised was Mabusi Kgwete, a TB champion from KwaZulu-Natal, who received an award for her oral poster abstract presentation during the four-day conference. The awards were presented at the conference’s closing plenary session, where […]
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By: Aphelele Buqwana Having been born with HIV and overcoming TB at the age of 22 , Hope Kubeka has spent most of his life navigating health challenges that many young South Africans still fear to talk about openly. Today, he spends his days working in his community, supporting young people who are facing challenges similar to those he once experienced. Through community outreach, public speaking and peer support initiatives, he encourages others to adhere to treatment, learn more about their health and seek support when they need it. The 26-year-old from Duduza, a township in the East Rand region of […]
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New diagnostic tools that bring TB testing closer to primary healthcare and communities, stronger data systems, persistent gaps in the health system and renewed calls for collective efforts across sectors to end TB, emerged as some of the key priorities at the 9th SA TB Conference, where delegates emphasised that new tools and treatments alone will not be enough to end one of the country’s leading causes of death. The conference, which ran from 08–11 June 2026, under the theme “Vuka, Let’s Unite Towards a TB-Free World”, positioned itself as a national platform bringing together government, researchers, civil society organisations, development partners, […]
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