The Eastern Cape provincial Health Department said on World TB Day on Saturday that the World Health Organisation (WHO) was sending an expert to South Africa to help with fighting extremely drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB).
The Eastern Cape provincial Health Department said on World TB Day on Saturday that the World Health Organisation (WHO) was sending an expert to South Africa to help with fighting extremely drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB).
This strain has been detected in 10 more people in Eastern Cape.
This brings to 54 the number of people affected by the killer illness in the province since November, said department spokesman Sizwe Kupelo.
Acting Health Minister Jeff Radebe, in the area to mark the 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 systems and laboratory services.
The official would also assess cases reported in Tugela Ferry in KwaZulu-Natal last year.
Radebe urged TB patients to continue taking their medication.
Though TB was a curable disease, patients' non-compliance with TB control programmes and an increase in HIV-Aids infection levels contributed to the rise of drug-resistant strains of TB, said Kupelo.
About 1422 unemployed youth have been hired at a cost of R17million to ensure that patients take their treatment regularly. - Sapa
WHO sends expert to help fight dangerous disease
The Eastern Cape provincial Health Department said on World TB Day on Saturday that the World Health Organisation (WHO) was sending an expert to South Africa to help with fighting extremely drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB).
The Eastern Cape provincial Health Department said on World TB Day on Saturday that the World Health Organisation (WHO) was sending an expert to South Africa to help with fighting extremely drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB).
This strain has been detected in 10 more people in Eastern Cape.
This brings to 54 the number of people affected by the killer illness in the province since November, said department spokesman Sizwe Kupelo.
Acting Health Minister Jeff Radebe, in the area to mark the 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 systems and laboratory services.
The official would also assess cases reported in Tugela Ferry in KwaZulu-Natal last year.
Radebe urged TB patients to continue taking their medication.
Though TB was a curable disease, patients' non-compliance with TB control programmes and an increase in HIV-Aids infection levels contributed to the rise of drug-resistant strains of TB, said Kupelo.
About 1422 unemployed youth have been hired at a cost of R17million to ensure that patients take their treatment regularly. - Sapa
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