The Wellcome Centre for Infectious Diseases Research in Africa, based at the University of Cape Town, partnered with the City’s health department to commemorate World TB Day in Cosatu on Wednesday March 24.
Under the theme, The Clock Is Ticking, the event was aimed at raising awareness about the burden of TB and to teach the pupils how to recognise its symptoms.
City health promotion officer, Eleanor Sopili, said the event targeted Grade 8 pupils because, among others, they wanted the children to know that TB was not a disease that only adults contracted.
She said TB is one of the global health challenges and is the second leading infectious disease.
“We want to sharpen their minds while they are still young” she said.
The research centre’s public engagement manager, Zandile Ciko, said the aim of the day was also to share information about the developments made around TB research and treatment and said new TB vaccine research would be conducted in Khayelitsha.
