Deputy President headlines TB awareness drive in Overberg
Deputy President Paul Mashatile, in his capacity as Chairperson of the South African National AIDS Council (SANAC), is scheduled to deliver the keynote address at the national World Tuberculosis Day commemoration on Tuesday. The event is being held at the Caledon Sports Grounds on Ian Toerin Way in the Overberg District of the Western Cape.
The commemoration falls on 24 March each year, a date set aside globally to raise awareness about the ongoing tuberculosis epidemic and to spotlight initiatives aimed at eradicating the disease. The occasion also serves to draw attention to the severe health, social and economic toll that TB continues to exact on communities worldwide.
South Africa remains among the nations most severely affected by tuberculosis, with the disease continuing to rank as the country's leading cause of death.
"South Africa remains one of the hardest hit countries by Tuberculosis (TB), which has remained the leading cause of death, claiming an estimated 56 000 lives a year, more than half (54%) of which are people living with HIV."
The staggering annual death toll of approximately 56 000 people underscores the urgency of the national response, particularly given the strong link between TB and HIV, with more than half of those who succumb to the disease also living with HIV.
National campaign aims to test five million people annually
This year's official theme for the commemoration is 'Yes! You and I Can End TB', serving as a rallying cry directed at leaders across all sectors to champion tuberculosis efforts within their respective constituencies. The theme also encourages every South African to play an active role in the broader national fight against the disease.
"The 2026 World TB Day commemoration will support the implementation of the National TB Strategic Plan, with a particular focus on amplifying the End TB Campaign, which aims to test five million people annually through expanded testing, integrated healthcare services, effective communication, community engagement, collaborative partnerships, and increased funding for prevention, treatment, and research."
The commemoration is expected to provide significant momentum for the National TB Strategic Plan, with particular emphasis on the End TB Campaign. This ambitious initiative targets the annual testing of five million individuals through a multi-pronged approach that includes broadened screening programmes, the integration of healthcare services, strategic communication efforts, meaningful community participation, and strengthened collaborative partnerships.
Increased funding for prevention, treatment and research also forms a central pillar of the campaign, as the country intensifies its push to bring tuberculosis under control and ultimately eliminate it as a public health threat.
South Africa's position as one of the countries hardest hit by tuberculosis, with approximately 56 000 deaths annually, places enormous strain on an already burdened public healthcare system and reduces workforce productivity across key economic sectors. Communities in under-resourced areas bear the heaviest burden, as TB deepens cycles of poverty and inequality. The success of the ambitious five-million-testing target will depend on sustained funding, healthcare integration and meaningful grassroots participation in the months ahead.
