Health workers, researchers and international tuberculosis experts will pool their resources and expertise at a workshop aimed at developing “strong direction and clear action targets” that will see South Africa achieving an 85% cure rate of TB by 2005.

Health department spokesperson Jo-Anne Collinge said South Africa has one of the highest rates of TB in the world and that it needed extraordinary levels of mobilisation and co-operation to contain the disease.

A community-based directly observed treatment strategy (DOTS) has been implemented across the country in an effort to manage the TB epidemic that has close links with the AIDS epidemic.

“We have to move the programme up into a higher gear if we are to meet our targets – 70% case detection and 85% cure rate by 2005,” Collinge said.  

She said the department realised that it needed strong direction and clear action targets for the next three to five years. The foundation for the Medium Tern Development Plan for TB will be laid at the TB workshop that begins in Benoni today [Tuesday].

National health minister Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang will address the workshop participants.

According to the World Health Organisation many low income countries have shown that by using available tools both widely and wisely, TB deaths can be reduced five-fold.

Speakers at the recent United National General Assembly Special Session on HIV/AIDS made it clear that the TB and AIDS epidemics were inextricably linked. TB is the most common opportunistic infection in people with AIDS as well as being the first manifestation of AIDS in over 50% of cases in developing countries.  

According to Patrick Bertrand of the International Union Against TB and Lung Disease, success in TB control has been largely dependent on the strength of the whole healthcare system. “Investing in comprehensive strategies is crucial for the fight against TB and AIDS,” he told the UN session.