WHO to help SA with XDR-TB
By, SABC News, March 24, 2007
The World Health Organisation (WHO) is sending an expert to South Africa to assist with extremely drug resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB), detected in 10 more people in the Eastern Cape, the provincial health department said today, World TB Day.
The latest cases bring to 54 the number of people affected by the illness in the province since November 2006, said Sizwe Kupelo, the department spokesperson.
Jeff Radebe, the acting health minister, who was in the area to mark the international focus day, said the WHO official would arrive next week to give technical assistance, advice on training and the management of XDR-TB cases, infection control and improvement of surveillance system and laboratory services.
The official would also conduct an epidemiological assessment of the number of cases that were reported in Tugela Ferry in KwaZulu-Natal last year.
Radebe also announced R3.6 million in funding for infection control measures in all health facilities across the country and urged TB patients to continue taking their medication, Kupelo said. He said all the people diagnosed with the illness were being treated in hospital.
Although TB was a curable disease, patients' non compliance with TB control programmes and an increase in HIV/Aids infection levels contributed to the emergence of drug-resistant strains of TB, said Kupelo.
About 1 422 unemployed youth have been hired at a cost of R17 million to drive the directly observed treatment supervision which ensures regular treatment taking by patients and avoids developing drug resistance. - Sapa
Source: http://www.sabcnews.com/south_africa/health/0,2172,146018,00.html
The World Health Organisation (WHO) is sending an expert to South Africa to assist with extremely drug resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB), detected in 10 more people in the Eastern Cape, the provincial health department said today, World TB Day.
The latest cases bring to 54 the number of people affected by the illness in the province since November 2006, said Sizwe Kupelo, the department spokesperson.
Jeff Radebe, the acting health minister, who was in the area to mark the international focus day, said the WHO official would arrive next week to give technical assistance, advice on training and the management of XDR-TB cases, infection control and improvement of surveillance system and laboratory services.
The official would also conduct an epidemiological assessment of the number of cases that were reported in Tugela Ferry in KwaZulu-Natal last year.
Radebe also announced R3.6 million in funding for infection control measures in all health facilities across the country and urged TB patients to continue taking their medication, Kupelo said. He said all the people diagnosed with the illness were being treated in hospital.
Although TB was a curable disease, patients' non compliance with TB control programmes and an increase in HIV/Aids infection levels contributed to the emergence of drug-resistant strains of TB, said Kupelo.
About 1 422 unemployed youth have been hired at a cost of R17 million to drive the directly observed treatment supervision which ensures regular treatment taking by patients and avoids developing drug resistance. - Sapa
Source: http://www.sabcnews.com/south_africa/health/0,2172,146018,00.html
posted by AIDS-Care-Watch at 5:04 pm
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