at her meeting with eight MECs for Health, tuberculosis (TB) experts and
programme managers and representatives of the pharmaceutical and medical
diagnostics industries, Emperor's Palace Conference Centre
19 September 2006
MECs for Health,
TB experts and TB programme managers,
Representatives of the pharmaceutical and medical diagnostics industries,
Co-ordinator for the meeting, Professor Green-Thompson,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Good afternoon:
The Department of Health is concerned about the emergence of the extremely
drug resistant (XDR) tuberculosis (TB) in South Africa. This strain poses a
danger to communities at large especially the vulnerable groups.
Not only people who have failed to complete treatment are said to be
vulnerable to XDR-TB but also those who have never been treated for TB before,
suggesting newly infected patients with drug-resistant TB strains who have not
developed drug resistance on therapy.
You will then agree with me, ladies and gentlemen, that XDR-TB is a serious
and emerging public health threat. We need to halt its spread as effectively
and efficiently as possible before it reaches the epidemic levels.
I have, therefore, called this meeting with you as TB experts and
representatives of the laboratory diagnostics as a further effort to understand
XDR-TB with regard to diagnosis as well as its treatment. I am also aware of
the challenges we have regarding new drugs available for treatment of TB as
there have been no drugs that have been developed for many years.
The aim of this meeting is to gain an accurate understanding of our
management of TB with an emphasis on multi-drug resistant (MDR) and XDR-TB. We
need to know particularly the prevalence of XDR-TB in the country.
Once the Department has gathered additional information about the nature,
spread and treatment of XDR-TB, including technical support from the World
Health Organisation (WHO), further plans for strengthening TB control
interventions will be developed and implemented as a matter of urgency.
I look forward to the outcomes of this meeting.
Thank you!
Issued by: Department of Health
19 September 2006
Source: Department of Health (http://www.doh.gov.za/)
