South Africa Media Centre

Intensifying efforts to end TB in South Africa

With support from World Health Organization and partners, South Africa has become a trailblazer in its bid to tackle this epidemic.

In recent years, South Africa has focused on scaling-up efforts to find people with undiagnosed TB and link them to care as swiftly as possible.

Combined with other programme interventions, this has led to a 56% reduction in the number of missing TB cases in the country – from an estimated 150 000 in 2019 to 66 000 in 2022.

South Africa has also been among the earliest adopters globally of a novel six-month all-oral regimen recommended by WHO for multi-drug resistant TB, an acute form of the disease that does not respond to standard TB treatment.

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Intensifier les efforts pour éradiquer la tuberculose

Avec le soutien de l'Organisation mondiale de la Santé et de ses partenaires, l'Afrique du Sud est devenue un pionnier dans la lutte contre la tuberculose. 

Ces dernières années, l'Afrique du Sud s'est concentrée sur la recherche active des personnes dont la tuberculose n'a pas été diagnostiquée afin de les mettre le plus rapidement possible en contact avec les services de soins. 

Associé à d'autres interventions, ce programme a permis de réduire de 56 % le nombre de cas de tuberculose non diagnostiqués dans le pays, qui est passé de 150 000 en 2019 à 66 000 en 2022. 

L'Afrique du Sud a également été l'un des premiers pays à adopter un nouveau traitement oral de six mois recommandé par l'OMS contre la tuberculose multirésistante, une forme aiguë de la maladie qui ne répond pas au traitement standard de la tuberculose.

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A World Hepatitis Day Special in dialogue with Dr Kibachio Mwangi

Join a WHO South Africa podcast, Mzansi Health Talks, for a special episode celebrating 🌍💙 World Hepatitis Day

28 July is World Hepatitis Day, and it is an important occasion to raise awareness and educate people about hepatitis and its prevention. The theme this year is “One life, One Liver, One Hepatitis Free World!”

In this engaging and informative episode of Mzansi Health Talks, the conversation delves into the world of hepatitis, shedding light on this global health challenge that affects millions worldwide. We'll be joined by Dr Kibachio Mwangi, a Medical Officer and Advisor for Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and Mental Health at WHO South Africa, to tap into his expertise and unravel the mysteries surrounding hepatitis, its prevalence in South Africa and the rest of the world, as well as the challenges in diagnosing it.

Get ready to explore the different types of hepatitis, from A to E, and learn how they differ in transmission, symptoms, and severity. Discover why early detection is crucial, particularly for "silent killer" Hepatitis C, and how early detection can save lives. Don't miss this opportunity to empower yourself with knowledge and be part of the solution. Tune in and help us make a difference on World Hepatitis Day! 

More on Hepatitis: WHO Resources , NICD Resources

This conversation was recorded on 27 July 2023.

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Vaccinating people where they are

Dr Rirhandzu Norah Mongwe is District Executive Manager for Mopani District in Limpopo Province, South Africa. She is on the frontlines of Limpopo Province’s COVID-19 vaccination response. During the first months of the response, Dr Mongwe was on the ground every day, along with her teams of dedicated vaccinators, visiting churches, malls, and farms. “Using the strategy of reaching people where they are, we were vaccinating more than 1000 people a day in each of the five sub-districts of Mopani,” she says. “Our strategy is a serious success story.” #who #africa #southafrica #Vacccine #covid19 #community #CovidVaccine
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Leading COVID-19 vaccination in South Africa

Limpopo, South Africa – One of the strategies that boosted South Africa’s COVID-19 vaccination drive involved decentralizing the rollout to the grassroots. Provincial health authorities deployed teams to communities to ensure an increased uptake of the vaccine. The mobile health teams are part of a broader strategy by the country to curb COVID-19 infection. In addition to the vaccination, the teams also provide other services such as HIV testing. #who #southafrica #covid19 #covid19news #covidcases #health #healthcare #healthy
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Five Keys to Safer Food

Five Keys to Safer Food

WHO built the Five Keys to Safer Food Programme to assist Member States in promoting safe food handling behaviors and educate all food handlers, including consumers, with tools easy to adopt and adapt. The Five Keys to Safer Food explain the basic principles that each individual should know all over the world to prevent foodborne diseases. Over 100 countries have reported using the Five Keys to Safer Food. As a result, billions of food handlers, including consumers, are empowered to prevent foodborne diseases, make safe and informed choices and have a voice to push for a safer food supply. 

Key documents