Issued by: SA Communication Service
PRETORIA - A year ago South Africa was confronted with one of the worst reported TB epidemics in the world killing 10 000 South Africans in 1996 alone. According to an international report released two days ago by top US international health agencies, an even more powerful type of TB is emerging, igniting an almost incurable tuberculosis world-wide in countries like Russia, India and Argentina. This is known as multidrug-resistant (MDR) TB and recent research shows that South Africa is not immune to this killer disease.
A recent survey conducted by the Medical Research Council in the Western Cape, Gauteng and Mpumalanga showed that there is a 1% MDR incidence in new TB cases and 4% incidence in retreatment cases. "In 1996 2000 South Africans developed MDR TB. We don't know for sure, but experts estimate at least another 2000 chronic cases of MDR TB in the community" said Dr Neil Cameron, the director of Communicale Disease Control. This indicates that there could be double the cases reported. It is evident that MDR TB is increasing at a very alarming rate.
When TB patients do not complete their TB treatment this causes resistant strains of TB to develop. "We are all very concerned about MDR TB, MDR TB clinics have been set up in most provinces. Its treatment is very difficult and the outcome is poor. In South Africa about a third of MDR TB cases are cured. Treating MDR TB is also very expensive costing the Department of Health R20 000 a patient on medicine compared to the R200 it costs for regular TB for a period of six months. It is very clear that the only answer is to make sure that it does not happen", said Dr Matji the manager of the National TB Control Programme (NTCP). Although MDR TB is almost ncurable, according to the NTCP, if the strategy called Directly Observed Treatment Short-course (DOTS) is used more widely around the country, further development of MDR TB can be prevented. DOTS is the new strategy adopted by the programme after a country-wide implementation of this strategy was announced by the Minister of Health Dr Nkosazana Zuma in 1996.
By ensuring that TB patients are put on the right combination of drugs, and are observed by a treatment supporter everyday as they swallow their medication, the DOTS strategy stops MDR TB at its source. Patients are monitored until their is recorded proof that they are cured. DOTS ensures that patients are cured the first time around. South Africa has the skills ad the solution to prevent the spread of the most lethal TB. It is time to apply it.