31 July 2006
The MEC for Health in Gauteng Mr Brian Hlongwa is to launch a campaign aimed
at improving the treatment of tuberculosis (TB) in the province and reducing
the number of people contracting the disease annually.
The incidence of TB in South Africa has grown phenomenally over the past
eight years and it now stands at 550 cases / 100 000 population. The provinces
most affected include Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape and the Eastern Cape
which together contribute about 80 percent of the total case load.
The campaign that the MEC will launch together with the national Health
Minister Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang and the City of Johannesburg will seek to
mobilise and educate communities to support TB patients. It will therefore
focus on strengthening the community health workers and directly observed
treatment programmes.
Other elements of the campaign will include making more resources available
in clinics and hospitals for the diagnosis and the treatment of the disease,
door-to-door campaigns, TB imbizos and consultations with business people to
ensure that the campaign is carried out even at workplaces.
The media is invited to the launch of the campaign which will take place as
follows:
Date: Friday, 4 August 2006
Venue: Regina Mundi Church, Soweto
Time: 10h00
Enquiries:
Simon Zwane
Cell: 082 551 9892
Tel: 011 355 3503
Issued by: Department of Health, Gauteng Provincial Government
31 July 2006
Source: SAPA
