<\/p>\n
Speaking at the closing plenary of the 9th SA TB Conference in Boksburg on Thursday, Mashatile said the country\u2019s response must build on past gains while addressing persistent challenges in treatment outcomes and prevention.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Mashatile said SA continues to carry a significant TB burden, ranking among the top eight countries globally for total incidence and highest when adjusted for population size. While notable progress has been achieved, particularly since the integration of TB and HIV responses, the scale of the challenge remains substantial.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
According to Mashatile, TB incidence has declined significantly, with a 61% reduction recorded since 2015, surpassing global targets. Cases have dropped from more than 500 000 in 2015 to about 249 000 in 2024.<\/p>\n
However, Mashatile said progress in reducing TB-related deaths has been slower, with a 17% decline over the same period, far below the 50% target.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Mashatile said this gap highlights the need to strengthen efforts across the entire care continuum, including early detection, treatment adherence and patient support. The next phase of the response, Mashatile added, must focus on a more people-centred approach that improves access to care and targets vulnerable populations.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Mashatile emphasised the importance of innovation and data-driven approaches, pointing to the introduction of a national TB data dashboard and the adoption of advanced diagnostic technologies. These tools, Mashatile said, are improving early detection and strengthening decision-making.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Mashatile also highlighted the role of the SA National AIDS Council in coordinating a multi-sectoral response involving government, civil society and the private sector. This collaborative approach, Mashatile said, has been central to progress made to date.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Looking ahead, Mashatile reaffirmed SA\u2019s commitment to adopting new TB vaccines once available and addressing underlying drivers of the disease, including poverty and inequality.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Mashatile called on all stakeholders to translate conference discussions into concrete action, strengthen service delivery and improve accountability. Mashatile said ending tuberculosis requires sustained commitment, collaboration and leadership across all sectors.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Mashatile said the goal of a TB-free SA remains achievable, but only through united and coordinated efforts.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
–ChannelAfrica–<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":36816,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"news-type":[78,26],"class_list":["post-36815","news","type-news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","news-type-featured","news-type-general_news","entry"],"acf":{"short_description":"South Africa's (SA) Deputy President Paul Mashatile has called for renewed urgency and collective action in the country's fight against tuberculosis (TB), warning that despite progress, the country remains among those hardest hit globally.","published_date":"","news_description":"South Africa's (SA) Deputy President Paul Mashatile has called for renewed urgency and collective action in the country's fight against tuberculosis (TB), warning that despite progress, the country remains among those hardest hit globally.","form_embed":"","author":"","image_caption":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/36815","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/news"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/36815\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":36817,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/36815\/revisions\/36817"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/36816"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36815"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"news-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-type?post=36815"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}