IN OTHER NEWS BY JESSIE TAYLOR
Reducing the burden of TB Healthcare looks to advances in vaccine development
S
outh Africa has the fifth-highest burden of Tuberculosis (TB) globally. But with the Covid-19 pandemic requiring a large-scale healthcare response, the fight against TB has suffered at South African clinics and hospitals. The disease, considered an epidemic, has a devastating impact on the country and is the leading cause of death. However, with the advances in vaccination development in response to the pandemic, hope has been ignited that TB may soon also see further vaccine development. MOUNTING A RESPONSE AGAINST INFECTION TB is a serious public health issue in South Africa. Almost half a million people develop the disease each year – and more than half of these people are also living with HIV. The disease is the leading cause of death
in the country, and around 90 000 people die of the disease annually. South Africa’s over six million HIV patients have a higher risk of contracting TB and a greater chance of dying from the illness. While there is a correlation between the spread of TB and the large number of people living with HIV in South Africa, the disease is also driven by poor living conditions and late presentation to health facilities. Inadequate nutrition can also reduce the chances of patients recovering. While state facilities provide treatment for TB, the disease can lead to loss of earnings, creating an additional burden for those living in poverty. Last year, the number of TB deaths worldwide rose for the first time in over a decade, according to a report by the
46 | Public Sector Leaders | March 2022
World Health Organisation (WHO). According to WHO, there were 21% fewer people to receive care for TB in 2020 compared to 2019, with a correlation drawn to barriers caused by lockdowns and overstretched healthcare systems. And increased levels of poverty, malnourishment, and lung damage caused by Covid-19 are likely to make more people vulnerable to contracting TB. Launching a response to the disease comes with a significant price tag. The South African government, PEPFAR, and the Global Fund spend more than USD 1.5 billion annually on HIV and TB prevention, care, and treatment interventions. There is a further burden created by multi-drug resistant TB, which drains around half of the government’s budget allocated to TB response. Treating one of these cases can
