Cape town: The Speaker of the National Assembly, Thoko Didiza, has signed the Barcelona Declaration on Tuberculosis (TB), signifying South Africa’s formal commitment to a renewed global parliamentary movement aimed at eradicating TB within a generation. The declaration was co-signed by the Minister of Health, Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi, during a special signing ceremony in Parliament on Tuesday. In her speech at the ceremony, the Speaker reaffirmed Parliament’s leadership role in the fight against TB, emphasizing that despite being a treatable disease, TB continues to pose a significant health challenge worldwide.
According to South African Government News Agency, the signing ceremony coincided with the official launch of the South African TB Parliamentary Caucus. The event saw the presence of parliamentary peers from the Southern African Development Community (SADC), including the Chairpersons of Health Portfolio Committees from Lesotho and Zambia, who attended to demonstrate regional solidarity. The event also followed a statement in the National Assembly, presented by the Minister of Health, outlining the government’s ongoing fight against the TB scourge.
The Barcelona Declaration, first adopted by international parliamentarians, recognizes that TB has killed more people than any other infectious disease in human history and continues to claim 1.5 million lives annually. It calls for the disease to be treated as a global political priority, demanding accelerated progress, investment in research, and equitable access to diagnosis and treatment for all. The declaration urges signatories to encourage governments to increase investments in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of TB, while promoting affordable and accessible healthcare for all TB patients.
The declaration also calls on leaders to support research and innovation for new TB drugs, diagnostics, and vaccines. In addition, it emphasizes the importance of integrating care for co-infections such as HIV and diabetes, and mobilizing community and civil society participation to combat stigma and ensure treatment adherence. By signing the Declaration, the Parliament of South Africa joins a global parliamentary caucus that collaborates with the World Health Organisation, Global Fund, Stop TB Partnership, Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, and other multilateral organizations to end the TB epidemic within a generation.
The Speaker emphasized that the ceremony symbolizes Parliament’s renewed commitment to health equity and global solidarity. She highlighted the need for activism by Members of Parliament on this matter and encouraged the TB Parliamentary Caucus to be a champion towards eradicating TB in the country and globally. In South Africa, TB has been the country’s leading cause of death for several years and continues to pose a significant public health threat. Despite significant progress, in 2023 alone, approximately 56,000 lives were lost to this disease.
Didiza said the Barcelona Declaration represents both a national commitment and a continental responsibility, reaffirming that South Africa’s Parliament will remain a strong advocate for universal health access, regional collaboration, and community mobilization against TB.