Hon House Chairperson, TB South African's biggest killer and the Covid-19 virus could be its rival. A total of 63 000 people died of TB in South Africa in 2018 according to the figures released by the World Health Organisation, WHO. Two thirds of those that died were HIV positive. The WHO estimates that about 301 000 people fell ill with TB in South Africa in 2018. These are however significant uncertainty about this since there is a 95% chance that the real number lies between 215 000 and 400 000.
South Africa has more than 880 new infections per day. It is a country's leading cause of death and has been made worse by
the HIV epidemic by 7,4 million people being infected with HIV. South African public is in a state of panic with the grim reaper called Covid-19 that is looming to take its toll on TB and HIV infected people. Just think of the devastation that the Covid-19 virus could cause in South Africa.
If government was not able to win the fight against TB what will they do to protect South Africans against the dreaded Covid-19? What are they doing? The fight against TB should have been won by now. Deputy President David Mabuza said in December 2019 that South Africa's target is to put an additional 2 million people on TB medication by the end of December 2020. So what are the issues?
Reports by the Treatment Action Campaign, Tac, indicates that the public healthcare system is so severely dysfunctional that it hinders the implementation of HIV and TB programmes. Hon Chair, I need to stress the fact that our medical personnel, support staff and even dispensary personnel need to be provide with Personal Protective Equipment, PPE with reference to the real corona threat that is out there.
Afrikaans:
Hou vas aan Psalm 50 vers vyftien: "Roep My aan in die dag van benoudheid. Ek sal jou uithelp en jy moet My eer." Ek dank u.
English: