To stop TB we must act now — together

Mar 23, 2026 · 576 words · By Aaron Motsoaledi

📰 Original article: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/opinionista/2026-03-23-to-stop-tb-we-must-act-no…

Topics

Public Health Initiatives TB Eradication Campaigns Stigma Reduction

Detected Techniques

Repetition (confidence: 85%)
Repeating a message until it is accepted as truth.
Slogans (confidence: 95%)
Using a brief, striking phrase to provoke an emotional reaction.

Fact-Check Results

“Every year, on 24 March, the world marks World TB Day, commemorating the moment in 1882 when Dr Robert Koch identified the bacterium that causes tuberculosis.”

❓ INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE — No evidence found in archive to confirm or refute the claim about World TB Day's origin and date.

“TB continues to kill more people each year than any other infectious disease.”

❓ INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE — No evidence found in archive to verify TB's status as the leading infectious disease killer.

“Between 2015 and 2024, we reduced TB incidence by 61%, the result of sustained investment in testing, treatment and public health innovation.”

❓ INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE — No evidence found in archive to confirm South Africa's TB incidence reduction statistics.

“In 2024, an estimated 65,000 people in our country were living with TB but were never diagnosed or treated.”

❓ INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE — No evidence found in archive to verify the 2024 undiagnosed TB figures for South Africa.

“Through the national End TB Campaign, we are scaling up efforts to conduct five million tests each year and actively identify those who would otherwise be missed.”

❓ INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE — No evidence found in archive to confirm the End TB Campaign's five million tests target.

“Rapid molecular tests can now deliver results in under 30 minutes, allowing patients to start treatment in the same visit.”

❓ INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE — No evidence found in archive to verify rapid molecular test timelines for TB.

“Promising vaccine candidates – including M72, currently in Phase 3 trials – could become the first new TB vaccines in more than a century.”

❓ INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE — No evidence found in archive to confirm M72 vaccine's Phase 3 status or TB vaccine timeline.

“Stigma is one of the greatest barriers we face.”

❓ INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE — No evidence found in archive to verify stigma's role as a barrier to TB care.