JOHANNESBURG, March 24 (Xinhua) -- As the world marks World Tuberculosis (TB) Day on March 24, South African Deputy President Paul Mashatile launched a campaign called "End TB," aimed at testing 5 million people for TB by March 2026.

"South Africa is among 30 countries that account for 87 percent of the global TB burden. We, therefore, must work together to change this situation," said Mashatile when addressing a TB Day event in Gamalakhe, KwaZulu-Natal Province.

In 2023, TB claimed the lives of more than 56,000 people in South Africa, with over 270,000 diagnosed, according to Mashatile. More than 58,000 people went untested for TB that year.

The "End TB" campaign aims to scale up TB testing, which is expected to lead to a reduction in TB over the next decade. "We will embark on a mass mobilization drive to rally all South Africans behind the campaign," Mashatile said.

The deputy president noted that despite the high burden of TB, South Africa continues to make progress in the fight against it and is on the verge of developing a TB vaccine.

"The vaccine trials conducted in South Africa have so far yielded promising results. We are indeed readying ourselves for local manufacturing and a rapid national roll-out once all procedural protocols have been met," he added. Enditem

Related

Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)