Spotlight on TB in March

GEORGE NEWS - World TB Day is observed on 24 March annually to build public awareness about the global TB epidemic and efforts to curb and eliminate the disease.

This year's theme is "Invest to end TB. Save Lives". With this in mind, we look at how the disease affects the population in our area.

Jo-Anne Swarts (40) is one of approximately 2 709 patients currently on TB treatment in the Garden Route district.

Swarts, like many other patients, presented with symptoms of shortness of breath, a cough that would not go away and loss of appetite.

She says at first she thought it was perhaps Covid-19, but tests and an X-ray confirmed that she had TB.

She has had a long road to recovery as she has multidrug-resistant TB (MDR TB) and needs to take many tablets daily to fight the disease.

"Despite all the tablets, I feel so much better and know that it is the medication that is working. When I arrived here, I felt as if I was going to die. I am definitely going to take better care of myself when I return home," she says.

Sonwabo Sigidi who has had TB multiple times and is currently receiving treatment for extensive drug-resistant TB (XDR TB), says TB does not distinguish between race or status. His message to the public is: "Keep taking your tablets even when you start to feel better. Complete your course. TB can be cured."

Covid's impact on TB patients

Patients often stay at Harry Comay TB Hospital in George for extended periods. According to Dr Alyssan Loftus, medical doctor at Harry Comay Hospital, those with drug-resistant TB usually stay for at least one month. "Some patients are here for three to six months, especially if they live on a farm not close to the hospital.

The Covid-19 pandemic has had a negative impact on TB outcomes. Patients are presenting with more advanced disease such as severe lung destruction with spontaneous pneumothorax (collapse of the lung), TB meningitis, bone TB, etc.

This is likely due to patients being too afraid to access the clinic during Covid-19 waves. Worsened poverty due to job losses with malnutrition is also a reality among our patient population."

Staff go the extra mile to ensure activities are organised for patients. Patients busy themselves with arts and crafts, woodwork, books and magazines from the library, television and life skills programmes presented by the occupational therapists, as well as sessions by Sanca (South African National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence) on addiction care.

Almost 170 die daily

TB remains one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality globally.

South Africa is one of the 30 high-burden TB countries and accounts for 3,3% of the global TB cases. High rates of TB are fuelled by the HIV epidemic and socio-economic status.

It is estimated that about 167 people in South Africa lose their lives to TB daily.

TB remains highly stigmatised, which has a devastating social and psychological impact. It causes significant barriers against access to testing services and treatment adherence.

How do people get infected?

When an infected person coughs, sneezes or spits saliva onto the ground, the germs are spread into the surrounding air and remain there for a long time.

If you inhale that germ-filled air, you can get infected.

What are the symptoms?

Constant coughing that lasts for over three weeks.
Discoloured or bloody sputum (mucus coughed up from the lungs).
Drenching night sweats.
Tiredness.
Mild fever or chills.
Loss of appetite.
Weight loss.
Pain in the chest while breathing or coughing.

Where and how do I get tested?

You can get free testing at your nearest clinic. Testing for adults is done by taking two sputum samples and the results are normally available after two to three days.

Testing for children is done using skin tests and chest X-rays.

Sonwabo Sigidi is being treated for extensive drug-resistant TB (XDR TB).