The Western Cape is making steady progress towards achieving the overall goal of 85% cure rate for new, infectious cases of TB. Currently the Province has the highest cure rate of all nine provinces 70%.

This has been achieved by a concerted effort at every level of the health services says Health Minister, Pierre Uys.

Speaking at the Brewelskloof nursing symposium today, Uys said TB is curable and the DOTS (Directly Observed Therapy Short Course) strategy is one of the most cost effective health interventions.

Nevertheless TB is responsible for a third of all deaths in HIV infected people. By bringing TB under control in the Province we are making an important contribution to the fight against HIV and AIDS as well as to the Millennium development goals -To halt and begin to reverse the incidence of priority communicable diseases (Including TB) by 2015.

I believe this nursing symposium will make a valuable contribution in the fight against TB, says Uys.