Inside South Africa’s Fight Against Tuberculosis
Loading player...
In the lead-up to World TB Day (on the 24th of March), I sat down with Doctor Anura David, Senior Medical Scientist at the Wits Diagnostics Innovation Hub, for a podcast that puts people, progress and possibility at the centre of South Africa’s fight against tuberculosis.
Tuberculosis (TB) can feel like a distant topic for many, something that lives in statistics rather than everyday life, but this conversation changes that. It breaks things down in a way that is human, accessible and, most importantly, hopeful.
“South Africa has already made incredible progress in reducing TB,” Anura shares. “The next step is making testing easier, treatment shorter and care more accessible so that we can reach more people, faster.”
That progress is real. Since 2015, South Africa has reduced its TB incidence rate by 61%, a shift that speaks to the work being done across communities, clinics and laboratories. But what makes this moment exciting is what comes next.
In the episode, we unpack the innovations already on the horizon… from potential vaccines to a simple tongue swab test that could make diagnosis far less invasive, as well as shorter treatment options that could change how patients experience recovery.
“We are seeing technologies emerge that could completely shift how we detect and treat TB,” she explains. “The goal is to remove barriers so that people can get diagnosed early and start treatment quickly.”
This week’s podcast is not about overwhelming you with science, it is about showing how South African expertise is shaping real solutions with global impact and how those solutions translate into better care, earlier diagnoses and more lives changed.
🎧 Watch and listen to the episode on all our social platforms (like all of them).
📆 New episodes drop weekly.
🏡 Powered by BetterBond. Filmed at Primedia Studios.
❤️ Stories that matter. Conversations that count.
Tuberculosis (TB) can feel like a distant topic for many, something that lives in statistics rather than everyday life, but this conversation changes that. It breaks things down in a way that is human, accessible and, most importantly, hopeful.
“South Africa has already made incredible progress in reducing TB,” Anura shares. “The next step is making testing easier, treatment shorter and care more accessible so that we can reach more people, faster.”
That progress is real. Since 2015, South Africa has reduced its TB incidence rate by 61%, a shift that speaks to the work being done across communities, clinics and laboratories. But what makes this moment exciting is what comes next.
In the episode, we unpack the innovations already on the horizon… from potential vaccines to a simple tongue swab test that could make diagnosis far less invasive, as well as shorter treatment options that could change how patients experience recovery.
“We are seeing technologies emerge that could completely shift how we detect and treat TB,” she explains. “The goal is to remove barriers so that people can get diagnosed early and start treatment quickly.”
This week’s podcast is not about overwhelming you with science, it is about showing how South African expertise is shaping real solutions with global impact and how those solutions translate into better care, earlier diagnoses and more lives changed.
🎧 Watch and listen to the episode on all our social platforms (like all of them).
📆 New episodes drop weekly.
🏡 Powered by BetterBond. Filmed at Primedia Studios.
❤️ Stories that matter. Conversations that count.
