South Africa is Under-Diagnosing TB and Still Needs to Catch Up Post Pandemic: SouthAfrica
Ahead of World Tuberculosis Day tomorrow, Dr Lucy Connell, TB programme lead at health NPO , says,"South Africa has one of the highest TB rates in the world. Right to Care supports SA'S theme for World TB Day this year which is 'Yes! You and I can end TB.' Great strides have been made identifying people likely to have TB, testing and diagnosing more TB. Yet we are still under-diagnosing TB and this is hampering efforts to meet global targets and end TB by 2030.
Dr Connell adds,"The mistake people often make is that they think they are not at risk of getting TB. Anybody can get TB. If you breathe, you can get TB. We are making people aware of their risks and the symptoms of TB. We are working with health departments to support the national plan to scale up the diagnosis of TB through increased community TB screening, more accurate screening tools and TB testing.
The SA National Health Laboratory Services reports that the numbers of people testing positive and starting TB treatment have not increased to pre-Covid levels in many health districts."It took only three years for a home Covid-19 rapid test to be developed. We need the same sense of urgency with TB," adds Connell.People at risk of TB, and those who have any TB symptom or a chest X-ray that suggests TB require a TB to confirm if they have TB. The test relies on a quality sputum sample.
Dr Connell explains that these patients need additional support, for example, by using a nebuliser. Yet there is a shortage of nebulisers in many facilities, and even where there are nebulisers they are not used to support TB testing. Patients can ask for support with producing a sputum sample, including nebulisation. A nebuliser is a device that produces a mist which is inhaled to help produce sputum.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Africa: Can Groundwater Act as a Catalyst for Sustainable Development in Africa's Borderlands?Blog - The Horn of Africa is facing a severe drought following the worst performing rains in 73 years and five successive failed rainy seasons. A sixth rainy season is forecast to also fail in April/May 2023. The frequency and severity of drought is increasing, making it harder for people to recover between shocks. The long-term outlook indicates continued drought risks for the region. The impact of the drought in the Horn of Africa has been severe: More than 36 million people are affected, with more than 20 mill
Read more »
Focus on Africa - East Africa’s electric vehicle transition - BBC SoundsBoda boda, okada and taxi-moto are just some of the names for motorbikes across Africa. Now they are starting to go electric. 🎧 noni_muchiri spoke to Ian Mbote from AmpersandMotor1, an EV company, to find out more about this fast growing industry.
Read more »
Africa: Prioritising Human Rights in AfricaInterview - The plan is to bring these issues to policy and governance processes.
Read more »
South Africa to enjoy another night of no load-shedding, Eskom confirmsSouth Africans will enjoy another night of no load-shedding, with Eskom confirming it will remain suspended till Wednesday.
Read more »
Big changes coming to banks across South AfricaSouth African banks are developing to account for a new type of customer.
Read more »