News
HST Collects relevant news from a variety of sources, for your convenience. Select a story from below, or use our search feature to find stories of interest.

World TB Day highlights health rights
by Mokgadi Pela
2001-03-16

South Africa will join the rest of the world in celebrating World TB Day on March 24 and highlighting problems about multi-drug resistance. According to World Health Organisation (WHO) representative in South Africa Mrs Greer van Zyl all activities will take place under the theme: Dots: TB cure for all. The marking of the day aims to raise awareness about an available cure for TB and the right to access TB treatment and complete the treatment without stigma. This would contribute to the fulfilment of a constitutional right to enjoy the highest attainable standard of health. Van Zyl says that the theme reflects the important role of governments and the private sector in providing TB drugs and services and points to the need for health services to be patient- centred and non-discriminatory. She said that Dots providers are challenged to continue outreach and adapt Dots to the needs of TB patients. Dots workers play a crucial role in the community to ensure the right to health for patients. Among factors that influence the incidence of TB are malnutrition, stress and unemployment. (Source: Sowetan, 15 March 2001)

South Africa will join the rest of the world in celebrating World TB Day on March 24 and highlighting problems about multi-drug resistance. According to World Health Organisation (WHO) representative in South Africa Mrs Greer van Zyl all activities will take place under the theme: Dots: TB cure for all.

The marking of the day aims to raise awareness about an available cure for TB and the right to access TB treatment and complete the treatment without stigma. This would contribute to the fulfilment of a constitutional right to enjoy the highest attainable standard of health.

The marking of the day also strives to mobilise political leaders and policy makers throughout the world to the situation of TB sufferers, the implications of TB for human development and the fact that it is inexcusable to be inactive with a cost-effective cure available.

Dots stands for Directly Observed Therapy Short-course and it has five key elements, including political commitment, microscopic diagnosis, short-course chemotherapy, directly observed treatment and monitoring.

Van Zyl says that the theme reflects the important role of governments and the private sector in providing TB drugs and services and points to the need for health services to be patient- centred and non-discriminatory. She said that Dots providers are challenged to continue outreach and adapt Dots to the needs of TB patients. Dots workers play a crucial role in the community to ensure the right to health for patients. Among factors that influence the incidence of TB are malnutrition, stress and unemployment.

The South African National Tuberculosis Association said that one person dies of TB every 40 minutes and 160 000 new cases are reported annually: TB is the major infectious disease in South Africa and requires commitment at political, social and medical levels.

Source: Sowetan, 15 March 2001

Keywords	This Item is associated with the Following Keywords: .
You Can Comment on this Item, or View other people's Comments
Easy Print  Email to a friend

	Related News
	South Africa focuses on TB this week (2001-03-22) Traditional healers help in TB fight (2001-07-12) SMS reminds TB patients to take their pills (2005-05-31) Keeping an eye on costs – community health workers monitor TB treatment (2002-10-17) WHO Report 2003: Summary Global Tuberculosis Control Surveillance, Planning, Financing (2003-03-26)

	Related Publications
	Tuberculosis in Hlanganani Health District (Free State): A situation analysis (2001-04-11) Tuberculosis in Kopano Health District (Free State): A situation analysis (2001-04-11) Improving the Management of patients with Multi-Drug Resistant Tuberculosis in the Lower Orange District and Northern Cape Province (2001-07-18) Tuberculosis - Our Problem (2000-05-11) Scaling up antiretroviral therapy in resource-limited settings: Treatment guidelines for a public health approach (2004-03-31)

	Related Health Statistics
	Cure rate (new Sm+ cases) (2005-05-25) Tuberculosis, DOTS treatment success, (%) (2005-09-08) Tuberculosis, DOTS detection rate (%) (2005-09-08) Successful completion rate (new Sm+) (0000-00-00) Per capita expenditure (non-hospital PHC) (2007-08-17)

	Related Events
	Joint Civil Society Monitoring Forum (JSCMF) Third National Meeting (2005-02-18) International HIV/AIDS Treatment Education and Advocacy Summit (2000-03-13) 7th Biennial Southern African Spinal Congress 2005 (2005-08-31) National Society of Community Nurses (SA)10th Biennial International Congress (2003-10-01) BUILDING ALLIANCES FOR EQUITY IN HEALTH - SOUTHERN AFRICAN REGIONAL CONFERENCE (2000-09-13)

	Related links
	Declaration of Helsinki (World Medical Association) SANCA: South African Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence MSF Campaign for Access to Essential Medicines Mental Health Information Centre Of South Africa [MHIC] South African Demographic and Health Survey 1998. Preliminary Report

	Related Content
	District Health Barometer - Collection and categorisation of indicators (2005-01-20) The South African Equity Gauge (2004-04-23) Summary Bulletin 8 - DHS-LG Discussion List (2004-07-16) ISDS Site: uMkhanyakude District Municipality (2004-05-10) The Southern African Development Community Project on Sexually Transmitted Infections in High Transmission Areas (2005-09-21)