Programme director
Mr T Botha, MEC for Health in the Western Cape
Members of Parliament present
Mr Craig David, soon to be STOP TB Partnership Global TB Ambassador for the World Health Organisation (WHO)
Ms Mholo and Mr Bongani Nchang from Malaika
Mr Theo Kgosinkwe
Dr Nulda Beyers, Director, Desmond Tutu TB Centre
Ladies and gentlemen
Each year, the world pauses on 24 March to commemorate Tuberculosis (TB). It is always a day of mixed emotions because on the one hand, we are reminded of the many lives devastated and often snatched away from us by TB. On the other, it is a day of reaffirming our commitment and determination to rid the world of this scourge, especially in a country such as ours.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) recently informed us that one percent of our population contract TB annually. With a population of almost 50 million people, this translates to an unbelievable half a million people contracting the disease. Last year, Statistics South Africa informed us that, for every 100 people who die in this country, TB will be responsible for 13 of them. This makes TB the number one killer of South Africans.
At the same time, South Africa has an established generalised HIV epidemic with an estimated prevalence of 10.6 percent in the general population and an estimated prevalence of 29.3 percent in the antenatal population surveyed in 2008. With TB and HIV co-infection rates upward of 70 percent, we accept Honourable Minister Motsoaledi's instruction that TB and HIV be treated together and where possible, under one roof and in each facility.
Ladies and gentlemen, remember that TB is passed from one person to the other, meaning, the more there are people in the population with TB, the more the chances of infections, and South Africa has high TB infection levels. Our response should therefore include a vigorous effort to find people infected with TB and keep them on treatment programmes until they are cured. Fortunately, our government provides TB medication to the public for free and unlike HIV and TB is curable, even among HIV infected persons.
Resultantly, advocacy, communication and social mobilisation are at the heart of our response. This is about communicating TB appropriate messages that educate the public about:
* How TB infection can be avoided
* What symptoms to look out for
* What to do if infected with TB.
Traditional methods of conveying messages such as putting up posters and distributing fliers have been frequently used in the past. However, using high profile and eminent persons drawn from different sectors in the community, including politics, religion and entertainment to communicate TB messages has proven to be even more effective in the fight against TB. We normally call such eminent persons TB ambassadors.
Ladies and gentlemen, WHO's STOP TB Partnership also appoints global TB ambassadors. In this regard, Mr Craig David has allowed the STOP TB Partnership to use his image and name as a global TB Ambassador. I am sure most of you know Mr David. He is one of the United Kingdom (UK) music scene's most successful male solo exports. This world acclaimed R&B singer has sold over 13 million albums and enjoyed 13 Top Ten Hits. He has also achieved multi-platinum status in more than 20 countries. His ambassadorship comes into effect on the official World TB Day, that is, 24 March 2010, with an official announcement to be made in New York. He has however chosen our country as a place where he wants to have a firsthand experience on the challenges about, and successes made against TB in preparation for his upcoming global role on TB. We feel privileged by his decision to come to South Africa and indeed we are thrilled to have him.
Locally, the Minister of Health, Honourable Dr Motsoaledi recently appointed local ambassadors to work with us as we scale up our response so that it matches the big TB challenge we face. These include our father Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, who unfortunately is unable to be with us as he is away in the United States (US). Ms Gerry Elsdon (Rantseli) is also not here due to prior commitments in Germany. They both send their best wishes.
We however are honoured by the presence of the Malaika duo, Ms Matshediso Mholo and Mr Bongani Nchang, and Mr Theo Kgosinkwe, also of Mafikizolo. Malaika and Theo are among our top music household names in South Africa. Notwithstanding their hectic schedules as high profile musicians, they have decided to offer their time to join us in the battle against TB, including our Kick TB 2010 Campaign (which I will shortly talk about) and the commemoration of World TB Day South Africa will hold on 26 March 2010. We applaud them for the patriotic stance they have taken to help save the lives of their fellow citizens.
"Kick TB 2010" is a joint effort between the national Department of Health and the Desmond Tutu TB Centre based at the University of Stellenbosch. The campaign uses sport, particularly soccer, as a vehicle to convey the message that TB can be cured. It also seeks to build on the excitement and exuberance around the upcoming FIFA World Cup to be hosted in South Africa. TB appropriate messages will be conveyed to a maximal audience using soccer balls with animated characters. These balls will be distributed to 250,000 primary school learners throughout the country.
A key outcome we hope to see coming out of this campaign is that South Africans will adopt safer infection control practices and get tested for TB and HIV and where required, take treatment as prescribed.
We also hope that the primary school learners who are the main target of this campaign will come out empowered through better knowledge and understanding of TB. This will enable them to become active role models that will positively influence the community to protect itself against TB.
Thank you.
Issued by: Department of Health
1 March 2010
Source: Department of Health (http://www.doh.gov.za/)
