By Zuko Komisa
A working group for paediatric, adolescent, and maternal TB was established within South Africa’s national TB Think Tank this month to make sure that scientific advancements in childhood TB are reflected in national policy and applied in practice.
The Think Tank is a network of experts who collaborate closely with the government on the nation’s overall response to the TB epidemic.
The most recent thorough set of recommendations for the pediatric treatment of tuberculosis (TB) came out of South Africa in 2013.
Nearly ten years later, it is urgent to update the recommendations to make sure that South African infants, kids, and teenagers may take advantage of new scientific discoveries in TB prevention, detection, and treatment.
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Point of View with Phemello Motene spoke to Dr Lindiwe Mvusi, Director for TB, National Health Department who gave more details about how TB treatment is set to be shortened to 4 months for most kids.
LISTEN TO THE FULL CONVERSATION HERE:
“For children specifically we are using the existing drug to actually shorten the existing period, what has happened is that, based on new evidence that has become available, we realised that we can actually shorten the period, by just adjusting how we actually give the medicine to the children.”
Nothing much on a new medicine, but real ways on how we can just shorten the treatment and better dosages for children.”
I was initially six months, but now it is going to be shortened to four months.”says Mvusi,
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