Chairperson, South Africa is one of the countries with the highest burden of tuberculosis. About 1% of our population - which is currently estimates at almost
60 million - develop TB and this end up to be about 600 000.
Sixty percent of those who have TB are also HIV positive. Tuberculosis is the leading cause of death in South, and of course, the most affected areas appear to be the Eastern Cape and Western Cape. It is estimated that over 330 people died of TB everyday in South Africa in 2016, and 1,7 million people died worldwide. Of course, the figures are currently much lower.
A study funded by the Research Council of South Africa was conducted by the Stellenbosch University in the Western Cape. Amongst its findings were risk factors for the Western Cape poor communities of TB where children and rural patients were discharged from hospital without TB medication, poor data systems and poor continuity. This means that processes from the time they came in hospital were not actually followed. There was no continuously checking on them.
To the DA member who came and spoke here, and it was her maiden speech as I was told, let me advise you that you need to go to areas like Highlands Park because you are agreeing to what the causes are. Look at the conditions that those people are living in - almost on top of each other. They are living
in shacks. That is the reason why TB is one of the highest in the Western Cape. Let me tell you, you cannot compare the Western Cape with other provinces which have minds and thinks. The Western Cape does not have it. It means that TB rate is much higher.
Let me go one step furtherer in terms of that. You have identified the problem; your public representative must ensure it. Let me tell you what I have just picked up. Not a single health care facility in the Western Cape go out and visit children in those poor areas, schools or in their homes to see that you can try and prevent tuberculosis or give them treatment. Not a single one of them! How are you expecting it to come down? [Applause.] You must go out so that them.
Next time when you have a caucus meeting I want to plead with you to discuss these: how you can get your structures work on the ground; how you can get your health facilities improved; how they can go and test people on the ground; and how they can go and test the school. I promise you, one year down your TB rate will be much lower. Thank you very much.