SANTA’S Role in the fight against TB

The South African National Tuberculosis Association (SANTA) was formed in 1947 to:

- Provide beds for TB sufferers

- Establish SANTA branches

- Give care to TB sufferers and their families.

In the early years, SANTA also launched health education programmes, managed TB prevention schemes, trained health educators and did TB prevention programmes in schools throughout South Africa. Now over half a century since it was formed, SANTA continues its fight against TB but with a new emphasis. In addition to feeding schemes, its care work and awareness programmes, SANTA are training volunteers in DOTS (Directly Observed Treatment Short-course). Volunteers in SANTA branches around the country are helping TB sufferers in their communities by making sure that they take TB drugs. These drugs are very powerful and will make TB sufferers better but if they are not taken correctly or if patients stop taking them before they should, the drugs become useless against the powerful TB germ.