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Date
: 17/02/05
Source: Ministry of Health
Title: Tshabalala-Msimang: Opening of Desmond Tutu TB Centre
Speech by Minister Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, at the opening of
the Desmond Tutu TB Centre
17 February 2005
Distinguished guests, Honourable Minister of Health in Zambia,
Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Rector and Vice Chancellor, Dean of
Faculty, Members of the Academia, Ladies and Gentlemen
It is indeed an honour for me to be part of the official opening of
the Desmond Tutu TB Centre and the launch of the Zambian, South
African TB and AIDS Reduction Trial.
TB is one of the greatest challenges facing the subcontinent in
general and South Africa in particular. TB is a disease that
affects the poor, vulnerable and marginalised. Sub Saharan Africa
faces one of the highest burdens of TB compounded by poverty and
HIV. With the movement of patients across our borders in the SADC
region we therefore need to work as countries of Southern Africa in
controlling the spread of the diseases.
The need for partnerships to address the challenge of TB cannot be
over-emphasised. Partnerships should involve all players who have
an interest in ensuring that the progression of this epidemic is
arrested and its consequences reversed. These partnerships should
include governments, the private sector, the academia and other
organs of civil society. We need more collaboration to deal with
the challenge posed by TB.
Delivering high quality care to those suffering from this disease
is a priority of the government of our country. We adopted the DOTS
strategy and we are putting much effort in encouraging appropriate
response from the community and to support patients that are on
treatment. DOTS demand a significantly high level of commitment
from both the service providers, the patients and the
communities.
With the spread of HIV infection, the increase in TB has been
magnified due to the fact that TB is the most frequent
opportunistic infection amongst people living with HIV and AIDS.
The combination of the two conditions has also increased the
severity, magnitude, and gravity of disease in those suffering from
tuberculosis - despite the fact that TB is curable even in the
presence of HIV and AIDS.
Government has expanded its investment in basic services and in
community care to meet the challenge posed by this dual challenge.
From pilot sites throughout the country, new approaches to
integrated care have been expanded to all provinces with emphasis
on preventing complications in people living with HIV and AIDS and
in protecting the community from further spread of HIV and
TB.
The burden to health represented by the dual challenge of
tuberculosis and HIV and AIDS demands a more vigorous response, not
only from the Government, but also from other critical role-players
such as research institutions. Late last year I had an opportunity
of participating in the Ministerial Summit on Health Research held
in Mexico City. The summit was looking at the role that research
can play in ensuring that the Millennium Development Goals are met.
As you know, one of the goals is to halve and begin to reverse the
incidence of malaria and other major diseases including TB by
2015.
The summit once again highlighted the challenge of inadequate
investment into research on diseases that are the main contributors
to the burden of disease in the world. We need to work together to
ensure that an extra effort is put on research into diseases that
affect developing nations and poor communities.
But what is more critical is the need for more research into health
systems to improve our ability to respond to public health
challenges. This is the most relevant research that should
immediately make a difference in lives of the poor by improving our
ability to respond to their health needs. This project addresses
this critical area of research by evaluating public health
strategies to reduce the prevalence of tuberculosis in communities
where the existing international tuberculosis control strategy is
insufficient due to the interaction between the tuberculosis and
HIV epidemics.
This project should assist in lowering the prevalence of TB through
creative community and school programmes that facilitate early
identification and adequate treatment of HIV. I am told that you
will also provide a preventive treatment to prevent the development
of TB amongst people living with HIV.
The success of this project will not only serve as a best practice
in TB control, but it will also in informing national interventions
against both TB and HIV and AIDS. There is a need to reiterate to
our communities that even in the presence of HIV and AIDS, TB can
be cured. What is needed is to develop creative TB control
initiatives that improve awareness and diagnosis, facilitate
effective treatment and improve our cure rate.
I would therefore like to thank all the parties that have come
together to make this initiative a success. This project will not
only benefit the 24 communities that are involve in this country
and in Zambia, but it will improve our understanding of the
challenges in TB control in our country and the region and assist
us to respond accordingly.
Appropriately named after one of the prominent people who was
affected by TB in the country - Archbishop Desmond Tutu - this
centre should serve as a guide as we seek to realise goal of a
healthy community, free of pain and suffering caused by diseases
such as tuberculosis.
Thank you.
Issued by: Ministry of Health
17 February 2005
Source: Department of Health (http://www.doh.gov.za)
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