TB Accountability Consortium

28/09/2026

NOT TO BE MISSED: Our 2026 State of TB in South Africa Report, focusing on the new End TB public-facing dashboard, dropped earlier this year!

Download here: https://bit.ly/4bOTFCV to see why men are still bearing the biggest burden of TB, with only 39 men tested for every 100 women, yet 61% of TB cases are among men.

23/09/2026

Getting tested for can be difficult for people who cannot produce sputum or easily access a health facility. But could tongue swabs help reach people who may not be identified through routine sputum testing?

A new study is looking at whether simple tongue swabs collected in people’s homes could help support community-based case-finding.

TB Accountability Consortium spoke to Dr Sharon Olifant, a researcher at University of Pretoria GEOLOGY, to find out more about the potential of in-home tongue swab screening.

Read here: https://bit.ly/3VLUYfZ

23/09/2026

21/09/2026

🚨ICYMI| The Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature, Eastern Cape Department of Health and Eastern Cape AIDS Council Youth Sector hosted the province’s first TB Caucus Basic TB Management Training Programme, with TB Accountability Consortium and Aquity Innovations NPC supporting the training.

Discussions focused on the care pathway and how TB Dashboard data can support legislative oversight, including whether testing reaches the right communities and people diagnosed with are linked to and complete treatment.

National Department of Health (South Africa) Stop TB Partnership World Health Organization (WHO) Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature Eastern Cape AIDS Council Youth Sector Eastern Cape AIDS Council (ECAC) Rural Health Advocacy Project SA

18/09/2026

Mgayi Zimbini, Policy and Advocacy Officer at TB Accountability Consortium, presented a review of the SA National TB Dashboard, focusing on what the data shows about the Eastern Cape’s response.

She unpacked gender gaps in testing and case detection in the province, saying the data shows that about 93 men were tested for every 100 women, yet detection was higher among men, with more cases found in men than women.

"Men are being tested less, but we are detecting more TB among them. The problem is that we are not finding enough men. Strengthening efforts to reach and test men is important, especially because they are less likely to use health facilities.”

18/09/2026

The Eastern Cape AIDS Council (ECAC) , Eastern Cape Department of Health together with Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature are coordinating the first Caucus Basic TB Management Training Programme.

The training brings together members of the EC Legislature TB Caucus, Ex-mine workers and civil society stakeholders to strengthen knowledge on transmission, diagnosis and treatment, prevention, treatment adherence and TB Dashboard data.

TB Accountability Consortium and Aquity Innovations NPC are part of the partnership supporting this capacity-building effort, connecting TB data, community voices and legislative oversight.

17/09/2026

Around 65,000 people in South Africa who develop are not diagnosed or do not receive treatment each year.

Children, people in underserved communities and those facing barriers to healthcare can experience greater challenges getting diagnosed and starting treatment.

Finding these people is key to improving outcomes. Reaching people where they are can help close the gap between those who develop and those who are diagnosed and receive treatment.

Treatment Action Campaign Treatment Action Campaign Stop TB Partnership TB PROOF National Department of Health (South Africa)

14/09/2026

14/09/2026

Men continue to be significantly affected by TB, yet too many are diagnosed late or fall out of care. Long working hours, migration, stigma and limited access to male-friendly services all contribute to this gap.

Government must improve men’s access to health services and put in place targeted services that reach men where they are, including mobile clinics, workplace testing and community-based care.

11/09/2026

DID YOU KNOW?💡

Poor nutrition, substance abuse, smoking, and unemployment can increase the risk of and recurrences even after treatment

Addressing these social factors through public health support is key to better adherence and prevention.

Read more here: https://t.co/Son8WKimzr