World TB Day 2019

Its Time for a world without TB

On March 29th, the Stellenbosch University (SU) Immunology Research Group (IRG) within the Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics (MBHG) and the Molecular Biology Clinical Unit (MBCU), together with the SU-IRG Community Advisory Board (CAB), hosted a community outreach event in honour of World TB Day. The aim of this event included raising TB awareness, destigmatizing the disease, highlighting the role research plays in combating the TB epidemic and getting feedback from the community from which many of SU-IRG study participants originate. 

TB remains a major health challenge worldwide, killing more death than HIV/AIDS each year. South Africa accounts for large proportion of TB cases, together with Brazil, the Russian federation, India and China. It is estimated that 72% of all TB and HIV co-infection reported, occurred in Africa. As such, this disease poses a severe threat to the citizens of our country. Efforts aimed at increasing disease awareness and promoting health-seeking behaviour are thus vital to ensuring the health and safety of South African residents.

This has resulted in a call-to-action to increase the development of enhanced TB diagnosis strategies, improved TB treatment regimens and effective TB prevention therapies. Apart from this, activities aimed at understanding the public knowledge surrounding this disease and the cultural implications of infection status are needed if we are to adequately combat TB disease on all fronts. In order to do so, researchers must participate in community engagement activities, such as the one highlighted in this article.

Various activities took place at the 2019 World TB Day outreach initiative, including interactive games for the kids centred around TB-disease and treatment, face painting, live music, a short play by the FAMCRU CAB regarding TB/HIV, motivational talks from TB survivors, CAB members and Clinicians, a Q&A and clinical information session, and a food drive with meal for ~500 people (sponsored by Bruce catering).

Volunteers for the event included SU-IRG senior scientists and staff members, MBHG postgraduate students, MBCU clinicians and nurses, as well as CAB members. This event provided an opportunity for researcher and the local community to engage and exchange knowledge, lived-experiences and expectations - enabling trust building and aiding in the construct of a more people-centred approach to clinical research. It is only by working together to combat this global health epidemic, that we will succeed!

#UnitedToEndTB

Thank you to all the event sponsors (Henties, Fair Cape, Johnson Fruiters, Lausanne Dairies, Cape Cheese, Spar DC, Prime Meat, Oaklands, Stick-A-Label and Bruce Catering) for their valued contribution.

Written by: Dannielle K Moore

Photographer: Dr Donald Simon