Communities in Khayelitsha and Mitchells Plain mobilised around TB

By Rene Sparks

Residents, community leaders and local stakeholders in two of the Western Cape’s most high burden TB districts have gathered to sound the alarm on the scourge of TB in their areas.

The event took place in Khayelitsha and Mitchells Plain in the run up to the World TB Day communities in the Western Cape.

Led by Neliswa Nkwali, the SA National Aids Council’s Civil Society Forum focal person for TB in the province, both sessions saw participants actively engaged in discussions around:
• TB prevention and early testing
• Treatment adherence and completion
• Community-driven advocacy strategies
• Reducing stigma associated with TB and HIV

The sessions created a participatory environment where community members were not just recipients of information, but co-creators of local advocacy strategies.

From awarenss to action

A key outcome of the mobilisation sessions was the clear shift from awareness to action. Participants expressed strong motivation to:
• Mobilise individuals to access clinic-based TB and HIV services
• Encourage treatment completion within their networks
• Serve as community advocates and peer educators

Importantly, the sessions laid a foundation for sustained engagement, ensuring that advocacy efforts extend beyond commemorative events and become embedded in everyday community life.

The engagements have reinforced a critical public health principle that effective TB control requires community ownership. By equipping local residents with knowledge and agency, the programme is fostering a network of informed advocates capable of driving demand for services and accountability at clinic level.

As the province marked World TB Day, the momentum generated in Khayelitsha and Mitchells Plain signaled a growing, community-led movement committed to ending TB.