Ingrid Schoeman
Mobile +27 76 892 1974
Email [email protected]
Candy Jacobs
Mobile +27 73 841 8752
Email [email protected]
When a person with active TB who is not on TB treatment coughs, sneezes or breathes, the TB bacteria is spread in the air. The bacteria can stay in the air for a few hours, depending on the ventilation in the room. An uninfected person can inhale the TB bacteria and get infected with TB. This person may not present with TB symptoms (coughing, fever, night sweats, unexplained weight loss), as the bacteria can exist in a ‘sleeping mode’ in the body. This is called latent TB. A person with latent TB cannot infect others, however, latent TB can progress to active TB in about one in ten people.
There are various TB Preventive Therapy options, depending on various factors, which could include taking treatment for anything between one to twelve months, as one of the following options:
TB Preventive Therapy is a key component of TB prevention in TB-affected communities.
We believe that TB Preventive Therapy should be a key component of TB prevention in TB affected communities.
For more information on latent TB infection, please consult the WHO Latent TB Infection: Updated and consolidated guidelines for programmatic management.
Another useful link: An activist’s guide to Rifapentine for the treatment of TB infection.
1. Advocacy/ policy and decision maker engagement
TB Proof has been a leading advocate for the implementation of updated TB policies under South Africa’s National Strategic Plan (NSP) for HIV, AIDS, STIs, and TB (2023–2028). In collaboration with civil society partners, TB Proof developed advocacy letters in 2023 and 2024 sent to the Minister of Health to address gaps in TB prevention.
At the provincial level, TB Proof collaborated with the Western Cape Department of Health to drive actionable steps for scaling up TPT implementation. In 2023, an advocacy letter (access here) was submitted to the Premier, outlining key recommendations such as training health workers on new TB policies, launching community awareness campaigns, and integrating TPT data into the provincial TB dashboard.
At the district level, TB Proof’s engagement with the Khayelitsha Eastern Substructure (KESS) has been instrumental in building momentum for TPT uptake. A TB Imbizo co-hosted with the Western Cape Department of Health and Civil Society Organisations in 2024 brought together over 130 stakeholders, including healthcare workers, TB survivors, and community leaders, to strategise on local implementation of TPT policies. The Imbizo led to a commitment to monthly TB meetings in Khayelitsha.
2. Demand creation and community engagement
TB Proof launched impactful initiatives to engage communities and increase demand for TB prevention services.
Community engagement activities included:
Through these combined efforts, TB Proof has effectively connected high-level policy advocacy with grassroots demand creation, ensuring TB prevention and care is accessible and prioritised across communities.
Ingrid Schoeman
Mobile +27 76 892 1974
Email [email protected]
Candy Jacobs
Mobile +27 73 841 8752
Email [email protected]
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