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: Aphelele Buqwana Efforts to strengthen early TB detection in South Africa continue to be shaped by persistent gaps in access to diagnostic tools and limitations in symptom-based screening, particularly at community level. AI Diagnostics, a South African health-tech company, has developed an artificial intelligence-powered TB screening technology aimed at addressing these challenges. The technology uses a handheld digital stethoscope to record lung sounds, which are analysed using artificial intelligence to identify people at risk of TB in under three minutes using only a smartphone and standardised breathing recordings. It is designed to support healthcare workers in clinics, communities, workplaces and […]
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By: Aphelele Buqwana Stakeholders at the TB Accountability Consortium (TBAC) fifth annual convening have warned that while South Africa’s TB data systems have improved significantly, the country risks falling short of its elimination targets if data is not translated into concrete action. The convening has become an annual feature for TBAC in recent years, serving as a space where policymakers, researchers, civil society organisations, TB champions and community advocates come together to reflect on the state of the country’s TB response. It provides an opportunity to reflect on progress made, address persistent systemic challenges that continue to hinder efforts to end […]
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By: Aphelele Buqwana South Africa’s ability to better integrate TB services at district level to improve service delivery will need not only clinical and operational interventions, but also greater consideration of how socio-economic factors outside the health system drive the progression of the disease. These issues, together with the need for stronger accountability, improved financing and community-led approaches, emerged as recurring themes during a satellite session hosted by TBAC in partnership with the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) South Africa at the 9th SA TB Conference. The session, titled “How better co-ordination, financing and integration can improve TB implementation in districts”, focused on […]
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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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