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Major boost as Health Minister Barbara Hogan unveils new tuberculosis (TB) facility
18 March 2009
South Africa's fight against TB is set to receive a major boost as Health Minister Barbara Hogan unveils a newly built TB facility in the North West town of Klerksdorp (Matlosane) on Friday, 20 March 2009.
The unveiling of this new state-of-the art facility comes on the eve of the World TB Commemoration Day on 24 March. Construction of the R23 million facility was started in May 2008 as part of the Department of Health's programme to further enhance access to healthcare but also as part of its commitment in the fight against TB, especially multi drug resistant (MDR) and extreme drug resistant (XDR) TB. The facility will serve as the main referral unit for MDR and XDR TB in the North West. Patients from adjacent provinces will also be considered, based on capacity.
This first-to-be completed facility is a beneficiary of the R400 million made available by national government to all provincial health departments during the 2007/08 financial year to help them intensify their efforts against TB.
Already, the department's efforts to fight TB are beginning to show positive results with the cure rate standing at about 65 percent while the defaulter rate continues to drop (now at 7,7 percent) close to the country's target of seven percent.
At the opening on Friday, the Health Minister is expected to be joined by the Premier of the North West province Ms Edna Molewa, World Health Organisation (WHO) representative in South Africa Dr Stella Anyangwe and the North West Health MEC Nomonde Rasmeni.
Members of the media are invited to attend and cover the event scheduled to take place as follows:
Date: 20 March 2009
Time: 09h45
Venue: Tshepong Hospital grounds (Klerksdorp)
After the opening, the minister will conduct a walk about in the facility and then proceed to Matlosana stadium (Klerksdorp) to address members of the community on TB. This address is scheduled to commence at 12h00.
For more information please contact:
Fidel Hadebe
Cell: 079 517 3333
Vukani Mnyandu
Cell: 083 923 0261
Issued by: Department of Health
18 March 2009