TUESDAY, 4 SEPTEMBER
19.30 TO 21.00
THE WESTIN – CONVENTION SQUARE LOWER LONG STREET CAPE TOWN CBD
Parliament, Monday 3 September 2018 – Tomorrow, plenary sittings of the National Assembly and National Council of Provinces are scheduled to debate draft resolutions to launch the South Africa Chapter of the Global TB Caucus of Parliamentarians.
This is a worldwide network of parliamentarians which Minister of Health Dr Aaron Motsoaledi co-chairs and which galvanizes parliamentarians to become champions in the fight against tuberculosis (TB). TB is the world’s leading infectious disease killer, although it can be treated and cured. South Africa made world history in June when the Department of Health announced that drug-resistant TB patients would be eligible to receive a new oral medicine, bedaquiline. Treating such patients has been difficult because of the many negative side effects of older medicines.
Parliament’s Presiding Officers, National Assembly Speaker Ms Baleka Mbete and National Council of Provinces Chairperson Ms Thandi Modise, are patrons of the South African TB Caucus. The launch of this caucus follows the launch of a regional African TB Caucus in 2016 in Durban and the launch of the Global TB Caucus of Parliamentarians in 2014 in Spain.
Membership of the South Africa TB Caucus is open to any parliamentarian or legislator from any political party and the caucus will seek to strengthen ties with other such groups around the world to achieve its overall goal of eliminating the TB epidemic. It will also collaborate with other parliamentary structures to address health and socio-economic matters, such as, HIV/AIDS, housing and other issues associated with TB.
In September, the United Nations General Assembly meets in New York at the first ever high-level meeting on TB. The theme of the meeting, which President Cyril Ramaphosa will attend, is aimed at accelerating efforts to end TB by reaching all affected people through prevention and care. Heads of State attending the September meeting are expected to endorse a Political Declaration to strengthen action and investment to end TB and save millions of lives.
Media are invited to the launch of the South Africa Chapter of the Global TB Caucus of Parliamentarians tomorrow evening, 4 September.
For details of tomorrow’s launch, please see the programme here https://tinyurl.com/y8wrfdjp
Media wishing to attend the launch tomorrow evening should send their details to Mlindi Mpindi at mmpindi@parliament.gov.za (081 716 7329) and Alison Best (Alison@tbhivcare.org, 076 615 9192) by 12.00 noon on Tuesday 4 September. Details to be sent are: Full name, ID /passport number, media organization, contact (phone number, email address)
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA
Enquiries: Moloto Mothapo 082 370 6930
Arrange a tour