By Hamu Madzedze
TB HIV Care a registered non-profit organisation that puts integrated care at the heart of responding to TB,HIV and other major diseases joined the government ,funders ,partners and other stakeholders at the recently held South African TB conference which was aimed at putting the spotlight on TB and focus on strategies that bring South Africa closer to ending TB as a public health threat by 2030.
The organisation's CEO Professor Harry Hausler said the strategies they have put in place include targeted universal testing (TUTT),TB preventive therapy (TPT),integrated TB and HIV services and new community-led interventions such as OneImpact South Africa.
Professor Hausler pointed out that often people are asymptomatic and delayed diagnosis allows TB to spread more faster resulting in complications which can lead to deaths.
"With TUTT ,we can assure that high risk groups receive immediate sputum ,allowing them to access treatment early and be cured"said Professor Hausler.
The CEO added that these groups include people living with HIV ,newly diagnosed HIV positive individuals ,HIV positive women who are pregnant and people who have had TB in the last two years and close contacts of people with TB.
He also pointed out that TUTT works hand in hand with TB preventive therapy (TPT) to address the high TB burden in South Africa.
"TPT is important in the fight against TB and it should be offered to anyone who has been exposed to TB or is at risk of developing active TB and this will include all close TB contacts, adults,adolescents and children living with HIV and those living with silicosis"he said.
Professor Hausler also highlighted that the country has new guidelines and shorter regimens for Tuberculosis Preventive Therapy (TPT)to make it easier for patients.
The organisation's Programme Director Sandile Prusete said in the context of limited resources and competing program demands integrating HIV and TB services is critical for the sustainability of programs.
"South Africa has a robust HIV programme and we have every opportunity to incorporate TUTT and TPT into HIV services and this means offering TB testing to people living with HIV at their annual viral loads testing ,testing newly diagnosed HIV positive clients and testing HIV positive mothers when they come for their first antenatal visit"said
Prusete
The organisation's Community Rights and Gender Specialist Alison Best said new community led interventions and innovations are key in the impact of South Africa's TB response.
"One example is OneImpact South Africa , a platform whereby people affected by TB can engage with TB services ,report any challenges or barriers ,flag stigma or discrimination, get trusted information on the disease and chat online with other people with TB and survivors.
The 8th South African TB Conference took place in Durban South Africa from the 4th to the 7th of this month under the theme "Accelerating progress to end TB
Commentaires