A division of Stellenbosch University’s (SU) department of biomedical sciences recently partnered with a local artist, tuberculosis (TB) patients and TB researchers in an art based awareness campaign.
This is according to Dannielle Kenny, chairperson of the societal impact task team at the division of molecular biology and human genetics (MBHG) at SU.
The ‘Tuberculosis: the heART of the matter’ campaign was launched by the researchers at the division of MBHG following a recent increase in TB cases in South Africa, stated Kenny. This was the first time in a decade that an increase in recorded cases was reported, she said.
The sudden increase in TB cases is likely due to TB services being halted as Covid-19 has taken centre stage since 2020, explained Kenny.
The division of molecular biology and human genetics (MBHG) at Stellenbosch University (SU) recently launched the ‘Tuberculosis: the heART of the matter’ campaign following an increase in recorded tuberculosis (TB) cases in South Africa. The campaign is “a reminder that TB is still a problem within South Africa and that it is something that needs to be addressed”, said Dannielle Kenny, chairperson of the societal impact task team at MBHG. PHOTO: Jean-Marie Uys
The roots of the sudden surge
TB symptoms are very similar to that of Covid-19 – coughing, fatigue, and a loss in weight and appetite – which lead to many patients being screened for Covid-19 and not TB, stated Kenny. “If their Covid-19 results were negative they were sent home saying it’s just a cold, and we were missing these cases.”
Not only were TB cases not reported, but the division’s research towards improving diagnostic methods stagnated for two years as “[they] couldn’t recruit patients for clinical studies [amidst Covid-19 lockdown restrictions]”, said Loren Rockman, a TB survivor and doctoral candidate in clinical mycobacteriology and epidemiology at the MBHG division. Speeding up the diagnostic process would result in treatment being administered earlier and health improving faster, explained Rockman.
“With the Covid-19 outbreak, thousands of people were not tested for tuberculosis because of the overwhelming numbers of Covid-19 patients,” said Dr Nelita du Plessis Burger, principal investigator at the innate immunity lab, and Dr Novel Chegou, principal investigator at the tuberculosis diagnostics lab at the division of molecular biology and human genetics (MBHG) at Stellenbosch University (SU). VIDEO: YouTube/SU faculty of medicine and health sciences
Using ‘ART’ to address the ‘heART’ of the TB crisis
“Tuberculosis: the heART of the matter” took place from 25 March until 14 April in commemoration of World TB Day and was aimed at improving treatment adherence by addressing stigmas and educating communities about TB. Events were launched at Scottsdene, Adriaanse, Kraaifontein, Wallacedene and Elsies River community clinics, according to Kenny.
“The project specifically [used] art as a form of communication to share important messages about TB – as the saying goes, a picture [speaks] a thousand words,” said Kenny.
Local artist Mernette Swartz, a collaborator on this project, emphasised mural art’s efficacy through creating lasting impressions. “We live in a visual age. Images speak to people more than words,” she stated. Murals beautify and get the message across much better, she explained.
Rockman shared the importance of launching these campaigns to create awareness. “Stigma is one of the things I’ve had to deal with [and] can really impact you emotionally and mentally. We [need to] learn to support people and not exclude [them]. It’s not a shame to have TB,” said Rockman.
The first launch event of “Tuberculosis: the heART of the matter”, a community engagement campaign spearheaded by the division of molecular biology and human genetics (MBHG) at Stellenbosch University (SU), took place on 25 March at the Adriaanse Clinic in Elsies River in commemoration of World Tuberculosis Day. This is according to Dannielle Kenny, chairperson of the societal impact task team at MBHG. “At the Adriaanse and Scottsdene clinics we have these large paint by numbers pieces where the community [could] actually [co-create] these artworks and take ownership in that,” said Kenny. PHOTO: Supplied/Dannielle Kenny