Kanye, Botswana - 24th March 2017: The 2017 National World TB Day was commemorated in Kanye in the Southern part of the country under the theme. “Unite to End TB”. This campaign resonates very well with the Post 2015 TB global End TB strategy and seeks to foster strong stakeholder mobilization, high level advocacy and inclusiveness irrespective of nationality, age, gender or profession. The ceremony was attended by community members and dignitaries including members of parliament.

The Key note speaker of the day was the Assistant Minister of Health and Wellness Hon. Dikgang Makgalemele. The Minister commenced his speech by updating the audience on the burden that TB disease put on the Botswana Nationals. He echoed TB, driven by HIV as the one of the major public health problems in the country with 6000 cases and 392 deaths reported in 2016. Fifty nine percent (59%) of these TB patients are also co-infected with HIV.

The Minister further apprised the audience on the government efforts to combat the scourge of the two diseases (TB and HIV). This includes introduction of the Treat All Strategy for HIV which has big potential in lowering the future incidence of TB. The current use of more rapid diagnostic tools including Gene Xpert has reduced the turn-around time of TB test results from 7 days to 2 days leading to early initiation of treatment. The Honorable Minister has also alluded to the oncoming joint nationwide Botswana Aids Impact Survey (BIAS) and TB prevalence survey which will give a true reflection of the disease burden to guide robust policy and planning.

Finally Minister Makgalemele reminded the audience that socio-economic consequences of TB burden stretch beyond the health sector necessitating interventions in which all stakeholders must partake. He then challenged communities and private sector to invest more in health issues including TB control, alluding that investing in healthy workforce makes business sense.

The National Professional Officer for TB in WHO officer represented the WHO Representative and highlighted the global and regional resolutions and efforts towards TB control including 2015 End TB strategy which promotes integrated, patient-centered care interventions and supportive systems through the engagement of partners within and outside the health sector. She further reaffirmed WHO’s commitment towards assisting government to implement the relevant resolutions on TB.

Several community members contributed on the occasion through songs, drama, information stalls including testimony by an ex-TB patient. In his closing remarks, the Member of Parliament for Kanye North who is also the Minister of Agriculture Hon. Patrick Ralotsia thanked all who participated and encouraged the community to actively support the fight against TB.

Below:

01 Assistant Minister of Health and Wellness Hon. Dikgang Makgalemele giving the key note address

02 Minister of Agriculture Hon. Patrick Ralotsia thanked the delegates and community who graced the occasion

03 Ex-TB patient sharing his testimony