Govt TB plan failing, says DA
2006-06-25 18:56
Johannesburg - The government's programme to fight tuberculosis (TB) is as much of a failure as its efforts to fight Aids, said the Democratic Alliance on Sunday after its parliamentary question on the disease.
The DA's Dianne Kohler-Barnard said that while the World Health Organisation had set a target of 85%, only 52% of South Africans infected with TB were treated successfully.
"This is a terrible reflection on our government's performance in treating a disease which, in deadly combination with Aids, is causing immeasurable misery and destruction across the country," she said.
Success in treatment of TB patients differed from province to province with the Western Cape reaching 70.1%, while Mpumalanga lagged behind at 28%, said Kohler-Barnard.
The worst cure rates
According to her, while the government has responded with the national TB crisis management plan in four districts with the worst cure rates, the plan only reaches 3% of infected people.
She said an independent inquiry should be launched to determine why "the TB programme is working so poorly".
"Only then can we be sure that the money pumped into crisis management plans is being well spent," she said.
- SAPA