19 March 2009

By Keotshepile wa Mogotsi

AUTUMN showers triggered slippery roads but did not stop a team of cyclists from moving at great speed to promote awareness of tuberculosis (TB), a potentially fatal disease.

The race, organised by the Gauteng provincial health department, sparked the build-up to World TB Day, which will be marked at Tshepong Stadium in Klerksdorp, in North West Province, on 20 March.

On arrival in the gardens of Mogale City Civic Centre, the cyclists were welcomed by the City’s health portfolio head, Emily Mathe, and the social services executive manager, Shirley Mathebula. Mathe was representing Executive Mayor Koketso Calvin Seerane.

Tshidi Moholo from the Afro-pop band Malaika, and Bongani Nchang and the Scorpions Music Band are taking part in the race, alongside health workers from the national and provincial departments of health and professional cyclists.

According to a statement issued by a health official, Sandile Gwayi, the purpose of the campaign is to raise awareness of tuberculosis through using banners and T-shirts for information, education and communication. There are also planned stop-over TB awareness points.

The race began at the Civic Centre and proceeded to Randfontein. It will stop in Potchefstroom and at the Stilfontein Taxi Rank. On the last day, the cyclists will resume their trip from the Klerksdorp Rio Hotel to the Klerksdorp Taxi Rank, and arrive at the Tshepong Stadium at 10am tomorrow, in time for the opening of South Africa’s official World TB Day events.

Addressing the cyclists and health officials, Mathe said the TB awareness campaign must also be seen as a platform to celebrate the lives of those who were infected with and affected by TB. “We are celebrating the lives of those people - men and women - who are taking TB treatment and the health officials who are fighting [the disease].”

Taking to heart the theme for the day, Stop TB, complete treatment, the cyclists were raring to take up the trip. At the various stopping points, they are giving health talks to the local community and TB pamphlets are being distributed by national and provincial health promoters.

Moholo said her group was involved in the awareness campaign to support those who were fighting the disease. Band member Jabu Ndaba had died of TB.

“[Because] people buy our music, we also have to get involved in such campaigns. People don’t know that Jabu died of TB; we [also] want to tell people that HIV is not the only cause of TB,” she said, ready with her bike.

TB is caused by the Mycobacterium tuberculosis germ. It mainly affects the lungs but can be found in any other organ. It is a common opportunistic infection in HIV-positive people. It is spread through coughing or sneezing. Symptoms of tuberculosis include a cough that lasts longer than two weeks; tiredness and weakness of the body; loss of appetite and weight; night sweats, even when it is cold; or coughing up blood.

Testing and treatment is free and the disease can be cured with few or no complications. However, the bacteria are known to take a long time to be destroyed and if the medicines are stopped too soon, the disease may start up again.

The Department of Health has adopted the Dots strategy for the treatment of TB. Direct Observe Therapy, or Dot, involves taking tablets under the supervision of a TB treatment supporter, a good drug supply, good laboratory services, monitoring the spread of TB and political commitment.

World TB Day is recognised around the world on 24 March. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), it is held to raise awareness about the global epidemic of TB and efforts to eliminate the disease.

“One-third of the world's population is infected with TB. The Stop TB Partnership, a network of organisations and countries fighting TB, organises the day to highlight the scope of the disease and how to prevent and cure it.

“The annual event on 24 March marks the day in 1882 when Dr Robert Koch detected the cause of tuberculosis, the TB bacillus. This was a first step towards diagnosing and curing tuberculosis. The WHO is working to cut TB prevalence rates and deaths by half by 2015,” reads the website.