tb tuberculosis south africa

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SA looks at ‘innovative ways’ for screening and treating TB

South has been designated as a high burden country regarding TB, with approximately 60 000 TB deaths annually.

tb tuberculosis south africa

Image via Adobe Stock

Health minister Zweli Mkhize on Friday announced measures that will be put in place to help fight the effects of COVID-19’s disruption of health services, particularly as it relates to the prevention detection and treatment of tuberculosis (TB) in South Africa.

The toll of the COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa is being felt across the country in the homes of those who have lost loved ones, those suffering long-term complications, and those who have been victims of the financial fallout of the pandemic.

Many health experts shared the same fears that one of the ways that COVID-19 would disproportionately affect South Africa’s poor would be through lack of access to TB and HIV treatment.

Since the start of the outbreak, TB clinics in poor areas have been closed where there was a need to control the virus’s spread.

Added to this was the fact that public transport experienced severe disruptions and many people stayed away from clinics to try and stay safe from the virus.

South has been designated as a high burden country regarding TB, with approximately 60 000 TB deaths annually.

The respiratory disease spreads easily through poor communities where overcrowded living spaces inadequate sanitation aid the spread.

“The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on health services and TB, in particular, is well documented. A lot of effort will be required to mitigate the negative impact of COVID-19,” Health Minister Zweli Mhkize said at the release of a national TB prevalence survey carried out between 2017 and 2019.

Of major concern to the Health Department was a decline in testing and diagnoses during last year. From 3 February to 3 May 2020, the National Institute for Communicable diseases reported a 48% decrease in diagnostic testing and a 33% decrease in laboratory-confirmed cases.

In fact, from 1 April to 31 July last year, it’s estimated as many as 308 000 fewer TB tests were conducted, and over 17 000 fewer positive case were detected.

While it’s possible that some of the decreases could be real as a result of social distancing and other COVID-19 prevention measures this likely points to real undetected cases which will go untreated and have long term effects on the public health system.

“We should also consider expanding TB screening and testing services in order to identify missing TB patients,” said Joe Phaahla, the deputy minister of health.

Sadly this is not a problem specific to South Africa. Last year, the World Health Organisation warned that if TB detection and treatment dropped significantly for any three-month period, it could increase 200 000 to 400 000 TB deaths.