Why is TB such a problem in South Africa?
If TB can be cured, then why does it continue to be such a problem? There are a number of probable reasons for this. TB treatment is unpleasant to take with side effects such as nausea. The tablets are large and taste unpleasant, so people are reluctant to take them. As well as this, once you are on treatment you start to feel better, so think that it is no longer necessary to take the tablets at all. The result of incomplete treatment is either persistent disease, or worse, disease which is resistent to the normal drugs used. This can be fatal. As a result of this the World Health Organisation (WHO) has introduced a system called directly observed treatment (DOTS), which has actually been used in the Western Cape for decades. This means that someone with TB has to have their daily treatment supervised by a responsible person, or go the local TB clinic every day for treatment. This leads to problems in itself, since there may not be a responsible person at work or home, and having to g
