The government of South Africa, led by Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe and Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi, who is also Stop TB Partnership Chairperson, will host the ministerial meeting on the regional response to TB in the mining sector in partnership with the World Bank, Stop TB Partnership and the Global Fund.
The meeting brings together ministers responsible for Health, Energy, Labour, Finance and Natural Resources and Minerals in the SADC region.
The ministerial meeting will be a culmination of the World TB Day commemoration to be held at the Kokosi Community Hall near Fochville, in the Merafong Local municipality in Gauteng.
The Deputy President will deliver a keynote address and will be accompanied by the ministers of Health and of Mineral Resources.
The ministerial meeting is expected to adopt a framework for the harmonised management of TB in the mining sector, focusing on treatment protocols, diagnostics, and referral linkages.
The meeting is also expected to provide preliminary analytical evidence of the economic costs and benefits of investments on TB in the mines and affected communities.
Members of the media are invited to the meeting as follows:
All sessions are open to the media.
Details of the event are as follows:
Date: Tuesday, 25 March 2014
Time: 09h00 to 16h15
Venue: Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg
Media wishing to participate is requested to forward their full details that includes; Full Names, Media House, Designation, ID/passport number; physical address and contact details to Mmemme Mogotsi on mmemme@gcis.gov.za or Takalani Sithi on Takalani@gcis.gov.za no later than Sunday, 23 March 2014.
For enquiries contact:
Health Department, Joe Maila
Cell: 082 887 3581
E-mail: Health.spokesperson@gmail.com
World Bank
Pretoria
Zandile Ratshitanga
Cell: 073 888 5962
E-mail: zratshitanga@worldbank.org
Washington: Kavita Watsa
Mobile: (202) 458 8810
E-mail: kwatsha@worldbank.org
