Pretoria – The TB Scooter program has changed lives in the Eastern Cape, with patients receiving their medication faster and more conveniently.
The TB scooter program, which assists health workers in visiting patients on TB medication in their homes, have helped increase early detection and compliance in the Eastern Cape.
Last year, Sandoz, which is a world leader in generic pharmaceuticals, donated three scooters to the provincial Department of Health to increase the detection of new TB cases and to encourage patients who are already on TB medication to complete the six months course.
The program is an initiative of Sandoz South Africa and is in line with the South African Government's National Strategic Plan (2012- 2016) on HIV, Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI's) and TB. It supports the provincial plans to revitalize its primary health care program.
Country Head of Sandoz South Africa, Carnie van der Linde, said that through the program, Sandoz aims to increase the mobility and reach of health care workers supporting the treatment of TB patients, often in rural areas.
“The program addresses the serious health concerns that TB represents in the country. South Africa has the second highest estimated TB incidence per capita worldwide,” said van der Linde.
According to the World Health Organisation 2013 Global TB report, released on Wednesday, TB remains a major global health problem. In 2012, an estimated 8.6 million people developed TB and 1.3 million died from the disease.
It also noted that an estimated 1.1 million (13%) of the 8.6 million people who developed TB, were HIV-positive and about 75% of those cases were in the African Region.
In South Africa, TB can be viewed as one of the major health problems, especially in the Eastern Cape. The cure rate of 65% remains well below the 85% rate recommended by the WHO and at 41%, the Eastern Cape’s cure rate lags even further behind the national average.
Van der Linde noted that the scooters donated to the Eastern Cape Health Department help health workers address two major challenges in the fight against TB: early detection of the disease and successful patient adherence to TB treatment.
He said that in the Nelson Mandela Bay Area, health workers are at the forefront of the fight against TB and by improving their mobility, their impact on patients is also increased, contributing to more positive health outcomes.
“I am pleased with the partnership that Sandoz has established with the Department of Health in the Eastern Cape. This initiative is not only a confirmation of our company’s commitment towards the eradication of TB, but also makes a contribution to the country’s efforts of building a healthier South Africa.
“The scooter initiative of Sandoz not only provides a workable solution to a problem, but it is also a very visible demonstration of Sandoz’s community involvement and an effective private-public partnership to help eradicate TB,” he said.
Addressing a TB in the Mining Sector Regional Ministerial Meeting Africa on Tuesday, Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe called on Africa to urgently develop and implement region-wide strategies to combat TB, given the fact that it is the only continent unlikely to achieve the MDG target of halving TB related deaths by the end of 2015. – SAnews.gov.za
