By Akani Nkuna
Minister of Health Aaron Motsoaledi has reiterated that tuberculosis should be viewed primarily as a social challenge rather than a purely medical one, and called for a united response from members of parliament and society to address the conditions that fuel the disease.
“TB is not just a medical issue; it is a societal issue. It needs political will, [and the fight against it] needs to be driven by parliamentarians because they need to move society, they need to hold the executive accountable,” he said on Tuesday.
Motsoaledi was speaking at the relaunch of the South Africa TB Caucus in Cape Town, an initiative aimed at strengthening the country’s efforts to raise awareness and mobilise action against TB.
The caucus seeks to promote better housing, nutrition, and social support systems, which are key to eliminating the epidemic by 2030.
The first caucus was launched in September 2018 following resolutions by both houses of the South African parliament to provide a platform through which parliamentarians could lead and implement TB elimination efforts in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Despite being curable and preventable, TB continues to claim countless lives worldwide, particularly in low and middle-income countries.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) Global Report 2024, South Africa recorded about 56,000 TB-related deaths between 2023 and 2024.
TB mortality has shown a steady decline, largely attributed to improved HIV treatment and expanded TB screening, but Motsoaledi warned that it would be a serious mistake to underestimate the disease’s potential impact.
He said that TB continues to thrive due to insufficient attention from relevant authorities and the lack of urgency in implementing effective countermeasures.
He said that because the disease is a “silent killer,” it does not evoke the same public alarm or decisive action seen during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Motsoaledi also commended the WHO TB partnership programme mandating that every member of parliament be directly involved in the fight against TB.
Motsoaledi and National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza are later on Tuesday expected to sign the Barcelona Declaration, a pledge to increase political will and investment to combat TB. The declaration has been endorsed by Canada, the United States, France, and Kenya, amongst others, and marks the first global coordination to address the diseases.
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