One of the world's worst TB epidemics

South Africa is facing one of the worst Tuberculosis (TB) epidemics in the world, with disease rates up to 60 times higher than currently experienced by the United States or Western Europe, the South African Red Cross Society (SARCS) has warned.

In 2002, 377 out of 100,000 people were diagnosed with TB, according to South Africa's Medical Research Council (MRC). The MRC estimates that up to 20 percent of TB patients are treatment interrupters, meaning that they start treatment but do not complete it. This increases the occurrence of Multidrug resistance TB, which is expensive to treat.

"The HIV/AIDS epidemic has accelerated the resurgence of TB, as the virus increases the chance of being infected with TB. Furthermore, TB accelerates the progression of HIV infection. Thirteen out of every 1,000 South Africans will be actively suffering from TB by 2004. Of these, 9 will also be HIV infected," SARCS said in a statement on Thursday.

The organisation implements community home based care projects nationally. Through the programme more than 1,200 volunteers provide care and support to around 5,000 people living with HIV/AIDS and other chronic diseases.

"A significant proportion of our clients are either TB patients or people living with HIV/AIDS [PLWAs]," Mike Tainton, national programme director for the Home Based Care Programme was quoted as saying.

"SARCS volunteers work with their clients – especially PLWAs – to prevent the spread of TB infection among them by providing them with the necessary information on the disease and by improving the environmental and general conditions in their homes. Once the volunteers suspect that their clients might have manifestations of TB, they refer them to the health service and if they are diagnosed with TB they monitor the adherence of the clients to the prescribed medicines and keep the health workers informed of the progress of the disease in their clients," Tainton said.

SARCS volunteers endeavour to improve the nutritional and economic status of their clients through encouraging them to grow vegetables on their doorstep and through participation in income generating projects. The Homes Based Care Programme provides guidance to the volunteers on how to avoid becoming infected with the disease by educating them on protective measures, the SARCS statement said.

For more details contact:
Tel: +27 21 4186640, Fax: +27 21 4186644
E-mail: [email protected]