December 2003

"Mogale City Health Services helped me regain my life". These are the words of a revitalised 56-year-old Josia Rammile, who stood up tall when addressing community members of Kagiso on how he survived two years of the debilitating stages of tuberculosis that almost took away his life.

Ramile's case became public after weeks of investigation by Mogale City health officials and community volunteers, who undertook a door-to-door campaign in the city area, conducting tests on people suspected of suffering from the initial stages of TB. They used small devices (bottles) for storing the phlegm of those who might be infected.

Sister Twin Xaba, senior nurse from the Central Clinic, indicated at a special event held at Odirele Maponya Clinic in Kagiso that people suffering from TB received assistance from a support system called Direct Observed Treatment (DOT).

She said the system helped overcome non-compliance in patients as it involves actually observing the patients taking their tablets regularly.

Because of the large number of tablets TB sufferers have to take, patients often failed to complete the entire course, Sister Xaba said. She said patients also often stopped before the initial phase or second month had even been concluded. This resulted in an extremely high incidence of non-cure and relapse rates.

Under DOT, people such as a health worker or a designated family member, are given responsibility for the patient taking their tablets. An important role is also played by health volunteers, such as Molatlhegi from Kagiso, who has contributed immensely to the speedy recovery of many patients, including Ramile, who also obtained extra treatment at Tropical Hospital in Johannesburg.

Eradication of this devastating disease is possible through patient compliance and preventative measures. Mogale City Health Services is in an ideal position to provide education, counselling and supportive services to the community and the patient.

Click here for a full list of health institutions in Mogale City

Do many people get TB?
Yes, tuberculosis is a serious problem all over the world. Between 6- and 10-million in South Africa are infected by the TB germ. It is infectious, so it can be passed on from one person to another person. TB causes more deaths in South Africa than any other infectious disease.

How does TB spread?
TB is spread through the air. Germs go into the air when someone who has TB coughs, spits or sneezes. Then other people can breathe them in. This is why TB can spread very easily in overcrowded places. The TB germ is breathed into the body and then attacks the lungs. It causes holes and other damage in the lungs. It can also spread through the blood to other parts of the body.

Who can get TB?
Some people believe that you can only get TB if you are poor or if you are an alcoholic, or if you take drugs. This is not true. Anyone can get TB. Not every one who has TB germs gets sick. It depends on how well your body can fight off disease.

You will find it more difficult to fight off disease if you have the following problems:

• You do not eat healthy foods.
• You work in very dusty places.
• You drink a lot of alcohol.
• You have a disease like high blood pressure, diabetes, HIV or AIDS.
• You are tired and stressed from doing heavy work, working long hours, or not sleeping enough.

• A cough that will not go away (for more than three weeks)
• Feeling tired all the time
• Weight loss (of more than 5kg, not due to deliberate dieting)
• Loss of appetite
• Low-grade fever
• Coughing up blood
• Night sweats
• Chronic chest pain

- Source: Dikgang Tsa Mogale, Decemebr 2003

Department of Health

World Health Organisation
Tuberculosis factsheet