Date: 16/03/2005
Source: Ministry of Health
Title: Tshabalala-Msimang: World TB Day
Dr M Tshabalala-Msimang speaker’s notes for press conference on World TB Day
Theme: "Together with Caregivers STOP TB now"
World Tuberculosis (TB) Day, commemorated on 24 March each year, is an opportunity to raise awareness about the serious public health threat presented by tuberculosis in our country. This year we are commemorating the day on 17 March 2005, in Komatipoort, Mpumalanga Province. The theme focuses on the frontline TB care providers and their crucial role in stopping TB. This is of critical importance to us as:
* it acknowledges and celebrates human endeavours by bringing to the fore, the human element in fighting TB
* highlights the importance of the health providers as the link between the communities and the health care system as well as the relationship between patient and service provider.
TB is a disease that affects the poor, vulnerable and marginalised. It particularly ravages young adults in the prime of their productive years. Therefore it not only is a humanitarian burden but also an economic strain to the country.
Delivering high quality care to those suffering from this disease is top priority for this government. 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 the service providers, the patients and the communities.
When we talk about the front line TB workers, we should think about all persons who work directly or indirectly to provide services for tuberculosis control.
We think about the health care professionals who diagnose and treat TB patients - in the public and private sector, as well as other health workers who provide support to TB patients - especially those who are volunteering their services, toil long hours to bring life saving medicines to those in need and even use the minimal resources they have to help the patients. We salute them all.
There has been significant progress in the detection of TB cases in the country, in 2003 a quarter of a million cases were reported but we still have a problem in ensuring that patients adhere to treatment until completion. This is reflected in our cure rates - which remain at 54% and high defaulter rates of 13%.
A lot of work still needs to be done in the area of diagnostics to find better methods to diagnose TB earlier and rapid testing to ensure that we start patients on treatment much earlier. This applies to drug development as well, where the ideal would be to have fewer drugs taken for a shorter period.
We need to continue to invest in human resource development in order to deliver quality health service and attain the goals in TB control. To this effect, the Department of Health has provided as a retention strategy for health care professionals:
* rural allowances for the health care professionals working in the rural areas
* scarce skills allowances for the professionals with the scarce skills.
We are also planning to:
* enter into bi-lateral agreements with countries like the United Kingdom, to regulate the movement of health professionals
* recruit doctors from certain countries such as Iran, to address the acute shortages, whilst continuing with recruitment and training of more professionals
* develop a new cadre of health workers, at the middle level, an attempt to provide quality health care to people, in all settings, especially in rural areas
* expand the community health worker programmes.
Let us work together to realise the goal of a healthy community, free of pain and suffering caused by TB.
Issued by: Ministry of Health
16 March 2005
Source: Department of Health (http://www.doh.gov.za)
Source: Ministry of Health
Title: Tshabalala-Msimang: World TB Day
Dr M Tshabalala-Msimang speaker’s notes for press conference on World TB Day
Theme: "Together with Caregivers STOP TB now"
World Tuberculosis (TB) Day, commemorated on 24 March each year, is an opportunity to raise awareness about the serious public health threat presented by tuberculosis in our country. This year we are commemorating the day on 17 March 2005, in Komatipoort, Mpumalanga Province. The theme focuses on the frontline TB care providers and their crucial role in stopping TB. This is of critical importance to us as:
* it acknowledges and celebrates human endeavours by bringing to the fore, the human element in fighting TB
* highlights the importance of the health providers as the link between the communities and the health care system as well as the relationship between patient and service provider.
TB is a disease that affects the poor, vulnerable and marginalised. It particularly ravages young adults in the prime of their productive years. Therefore it not only is a humanitarian burden but also an economic strain to the country.
Delivering high quality care to those suffering from this disease is top priority for this government. 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 the service providers, the patients and the communities.
When we talk about the front line TB workers, we should think about all persons who work directly or indirectly to provide services for tuberculosis control.
We think about the health care professionals who diagnose and treat TB patients - in the public and private sector, as well as other health workers who provide support to TB patients - especially those who are volunteering their services, toil long hours to bring life saving medicines to those in need and even use the minimal resources they have to help the patients. We salute them all.
There has been significant progress in the detection of TB cases in the country, in 2003 a quarter of a million cases were reported but we still have a problem in ensuring that patients adhere to treatment until completion. This is reflected in our cure rates - which remain at 54% and high defaulter rates of 13%.
A lot of work still needs to be done in the area of diagnostics to find better methods to diagnose TB earlier and rapid testing to ensure that we start patients on treatment much earlier. This applies to drug development as well, where the ideal would be to have fewer drugs taken for a shorter period.
We need to continue to invest in human resource development in order to deliver quality health service and attain the goals in TB control. To this effect, the Department of Health has provided as a retention strategy for health care professionals:
* rural allowances for the health care professionals working in the rural areas
* scarce skills allowances for the professionals with the scarce skills.
We are also planning to:
* enter into bi-lateral agreements with countries like the United Kingdom, to regulate the movement of health professionals
* recruit doctors from certain countries such as Iran, to address the acute shortages, whilst continuing with recruitment and training of more professionals
* develop a new cadre of health workers, at the middle level, an attempt to provide quality health care to people, in all settings, especially in rural areas
* expand the community health worker programmes.
Let us work together to realise the goal of a healthy community, free of pain and suffering caused by TB.
Issued by: Ministry of Health
16 March 2005
Source: Department of Health (http://www.doh.gov.za)
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