Effectiveness of community participation in tuberculosis control

Abstract

Tuberculosis (TB) has re-emerged as an important global public health issue, particularly with the advent of HIV and AIDS. Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest incidence of TB in the world, estimated at over 350 cases per 100 000. With many of its provinces being rural and characterised by limited access to health services, South Africa ranked fifth globally among high TB burden countries in 2007. In low-resource settings where health systems barely cope with increased disease burdens, community participation has come to the fore as a pivotal measure for successful programming.