TB claimed 56,000 deaths in 2023. That’s according to the humanitarian aid organization, Gift of the Givers. The organization’s founder, Dr Imtiaz Sooliman and senior TB specialists will be part of a commemoration event for World TB Day today in Stellenbosch.
Gift of the Givers commemorates World TB Day in Stellenbosch
End TB Campaign for 2025
Dr Sooliman has added that to highlight all the aspects of decisive TB intervention, Gift of the Givers will support tthe patients of Aan Het Pad Clinic, Cloetesville, Stellenbosch on World TB Day. He says unemployment, poverty and hunger are rife in the community which already has a significant number of positive TB cases many with HIV as a comorbidity. GotG says TB is spreading among children at an alarming rate. The aid organization says the incidence of TB overall in the WC is very high.
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TB overall in the WC is very high
The organization says nutrition is critical for compliance in taking medication. Dr Sooliman says the Aan Het Pad Clinic could be used as a prototype to monitor progress given the correct intervention. He says Sister Fortuin and her team of dedicated nurses consistently treat and follow up patients with house visits throughout the year. Sooliman says they need support with food. At the same time, Gift of the Givers is symbolically going to hand out 150 food parcels and support the clinic with fortified enriched nutritional products, Genesis and eezee peanut paste.
He added, “Gift of the Givers will support the clinic nutritionally for an entire year as a means to test progress.”
The organization says to add to the campaign, working with various groups TB could be substantially reduced in the region. Dr Sooliman says Khilona Radia and her specialist team from Antrum Biotech, Free of TB, Stellenbosch University Department of Medicine, WC Dept of Health, Gift of the Givers and our dietitians including Michelle Bristow responsible for the development of Genesis (Michelle was previously involved in the development of Future Life) will all be on-site in the hall adjacent to the clinic. He has expressed this special thanks to Councillor Elsabe Vermeulen who arranged the facility.
