Khayelitsha TB champion programme (2025-2028)

TB Proof is implementing a multi-level advocacy project to strengthen the implementation of South Africa’s TB testing (TUTT) policy and increase access to TB testing — particularly in high-burden communities in Khayelitsha, Western Cape.

The project combines facility-level accountability, community mobilisation, and high-level advocacy to ensure that TB testing targets are not only set, but met. By working closely with health facilities, community champions, civil society partners and government platforms, TB Proof aims to ensure that TB testing becomes a shared priority — from clinic level through to national leadership.

Aims

1. Strengthen accountability at health facility level

Develop and evaluate a practical accountability model in selected Khayelitsha facilities — Khayelitsha Site B Clinic, Michael Mapongwana CDC, Nolungile CDC and Town 2 Clinic — to improve performance against TB testing targets through stronger data use, community partnership and ongoing monitoring.

2. Increase community demand for TB testing

Build the capacity of community leaders and TB champions to drive awareness, reduce stigma and promote testing — especially among priority groups at higher risk — through local campaigns, media engagement and community-led advocacy.

3. Improve district, provincial and national accountability

Use data, community feedback and structured advocacy to engage health authorities and platforms such as the South African National AIDS Council to strengthen oversight of TB testing policy implementation and drive measurable increases in testing rates in the Western Cape.

Through this integrated approach, TB Proof aims to increase TB testing uptake, strengthen community ownership of the TB response, and contribute to improved TB outcomes in high-burden settings.

Our advocacy projects

TB Preventive Therapy

Some people may have latent TB – where some is infected by the TB bacteria but they do not show TB symptoms and cannot infect others.

TB Stigma Project

Stigma is a term describing the feeling of being ashamed, or experiencing societal disapproval in the way that other people treat you.

All oral drug-resistant TB Treatment

For many years patients were given a difficult choice: die because of drug resistant TB or become deaf as a results of the treatment.

TB IPC Training

Healthcare workers (HCWs) are three times more likely to be infected by TB than the general public and six times more likely to be hospitalized with drug-resistant TB.