Mashatile: SA cuts TB infections by 61%, but deaths still lag target

By Akani Nkuna

Deputy President Paul Mashatile, in his capacity as Chairperson of the South African National AIDS Council (SANAC), says the national TB programme has achieved remarkable success in reducing the TB incidence rate — the number of new cases each year — with a 61% decline recorded by 2024.

This comes as government efforts to reduce TB infection and disease continue to gain ground.

However, TB remains a major public health concern and is still the leading cause of death, particularly among people living with HIV.

Mashatile was speaking at the national World TB Day commemorative event at the Caledon Sports Grounds in the Western Cape.

“Our National TB (NTB) campaign is showing strong momentum. This year, we have achieved 70% of our ambitious testing targets. Over 3.5 million tests have been conducted since the launch of the NTB campaign, which we unveiled at last year’s World TB