The Union’s annual lung health conference has once again highlighted the urgent need to tackle TB in children and adolescents more effectively. The conference, which was held in Bali, Indonesia from 12 to 16 November 2024 provided a global platform for discussions on tuberculosis (TB) and lung health, focusing on issues such as the stigma surrounding the disease, the challenges of diagnosing and treating TB, the importance of improving access to TB medicines. The conference also captured the stories from TB survivors, expert insights and calls for more global action showed how much work is still needed. One of the […]
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Diabetes and Tuberculosis (TB) are two significant public health challenges in South Africa, both of which are worsening due to systemic gaps in healthcare delivery. This is coupled with insufficient data collection and inadequate prevention efforts. As the world observes World Diabetes Day under the theme “Breaking Barriers, Bridging Gaps”, the question of how diabetes contributes to TB patients is once again raised. Diabetes has become one of the top ten causes of death in the country, and the rising prevalence of type 2 diabetes is being fuelled by urbanisation, changing lifestyles and a lack of targeted healthcare interventions. This […]
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The importance and value of having open access to data to improve SA’s TB response was once again brought to the spotlight in this year’s annual TB convening. The Call to Action report was launched at the convening unpacking why access to data is an essential public benefit for transparency, accountability and good governance. This report advocates for open access to key facility-level TB indicators to improve public services and accountability. It argues that access to data can lead to more equitable resource allocation and better decision-making, while also addressing concerns about data protection and privacy in the digital age. […]
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As the world continues to grapple with tuberculosis (TB), a longstanding public health concern, there remains an urgent need to address the challenges within the National TB Programme. While there has been progress in increasing the number of individuals receiving care and returning to pre-COVID performance levels within the National TB Programme, there are still issues that need to be addressed. These include ensuring funding, enhancing accountability, and strengthening bi-directional decision-making. One of our TB podcast speakers, Dr Waasila Jassat, who currently provides technical support to the National TB Programme and chairs the TB vaccines working group, notes that […]
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Malnutrition remains a significant public health issue in South Africa, affecting various age groups and contributing to a range of health issues including an increased vulnerability to diseases such as tuberculosis (TB). As the country observes National Nutrition Week 2024 from 9-15 October, the theme “Eat Right for a Better Life!” underscores the important role of nutrition in improving the overall well-being. This annual observance aims to raise awareness about healthy eating practices and to encourage communities to embrace balanced diets. Nzama Mbalati, CEO at HEALA, highlights that this week serves as an important reminder of the link between healthy […]
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The TB Accountability Consortium will be joining hands with the provincial health department in KwaZulu-Natal to improve the TB response in the province. The province remains one of South Africa’s TB hotspots in South Africa, where 54 000 people still die of TB each year despite it being a preventable and treatable disease. In July, the TBAC outreach team met with the Provincial Department of Health to talk about some of the challenges that were being experienced. At the top of the list was the absence of communication campaigns. According to Rosslyn Page, the TB control program’s Advocacy Communication and […]
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