TB deaths still haunt health sector

Lindiwe Mozola | Tuesday August 1, 2017 16:18

What is more worrying is that the trend has even resulted in deaths that could have been prevented.  

This was revealed by Lerala/ Maunatlala councillor, Malebogo Phuthego when she officiated at a TB campaign organised by African Comprehensive HIV/AIDS Partnership (ACHAP) in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Wellness recently.  She said that TB patients have to avoid the practice and to take their medication as per doctors’ prescription. 

“Government cannot win the war against TB when you do not change your attitude. Please cease from such actions,” she urged the defaulting patients.  

She also appealed to families of the TB patients to monitor their ill loved ones and ensure that they do not default on medication.  During the campaign it emerged that TB continues to be a problem nationally. 

In  2016 a total of 6,000 people were reported to have TB in the whole country while 392 died while on treatment after they developed Multi-Drug Resistant (MDR) TB. Palapye had six cases of reported deaths out of 108 TB patients in 2016.  Phuthego noted that already the country’s population is small hence it is very worrying to have such a figure of TB patients.  She also called upon the private sector to up its game in the fight against TB.  She said it is apparent that the socio-economic consequences of the TB burden stretch beyond the health sector.