Health experts in South Africa are warning that failing to complete prescribed Tuberculosis (TB) treatment could have life-threatening consequences, as the country continues to battle one of the world’s highest TB burdens.
According to Christopher Ealand, a senior researcher at the University of the Witwatersrand Faculty of Health Sciences, patients who stop medication early face not only worsening illness but also the risk of developing dangerous drug-resistant strains.
“TB can be cured, and it is not a death sentence,” Ealand said.
He stressed that people exposed to the disease should seek treatment as early as possible and must complete the full antibiotic course exactly as prescribed.
Failure to do so, he warned, increases the likelihood of antimicrobial resistance, which can make future treatment significantly more difficult and reduce survival rates.
The warning follows recent figures from the World Health Organization showing that TB claimed 54,000 lives in South Africa in 2024.
HIV co-infections continue to drive deaths
Experts say one of the biggest challenges remains the country’s ongoing overlap between TB and Human immunodeficiency virus infection (HIV).
A significant proportion of reported TB cases occur in people living with HIV, whose weakened immune systems make them more vulnerable to developing active TB.
This co-infection remains one of the leading contributors to TB-related deaths nationwide.
Ealand said the issue goes beyond mortality figures alone.
He noted that the official death toll represents only part of a far more complex public health crisis involving diagnosis delays, treatment access, and long-term adherence.
resistant strains and hidden cases remain major threat
Another growing concern is the spread of drug-resistant TB strains.
Multi-drug resistant cases can require treatment periods of up to 24 months, although South Africa has begun rolling out more effective six-month treatment regimens.
Even with improved therapies, strict patient adherence remains critical.
Public health experts also highlighted the problem of so-called “missing cases” — individuals who are infected but remain undiagnosed and untreated.
These cases continue to drive community transmission.
Sub-clinical TB, where infected individuals show no visible symptoms, presents an additional challenge because patients often do not seek medical care while still spreading the disease.
Without a highly effective vaccine, experts say completely eradicating TB remains extremely difficult.
South Africa continues to run one of the continent’s most comprehensive national TB treatment programmes through the Department of Health, but specialists warn that public awareness and treatment compliance remain essential.
Source:citizen
