Tuberculosis outbreaks in South Australia continue to impact First Nations people, particularly in remote and rural areas. Several people have died, and 25 active cases have been detected since last March, with experts calling for more resources and measures to prevent future outbreaks.
Category
📺
TVTranscript
00:00More efforts to tackle TB outbreaks in SA that continue to impact First Nations people,
00:07especially in remote and rural areas.
00:11Some of these community organisation health services almost have to operate as a mini-hospital.
00:18We have had, unfortunately, a number of deaths and also there's been a death in WA linked
00:27genomically to the APY lands cluster.
00:30Health officials say since May 2022, 25 active cases of tuberculosis have been detected in
00:37SA, most of which have been linked to four clusters around the state.
00:42The biggest cluster is believed to be in the Anangupinjarra-Yankunjarra lands in the states
00:47far north where an outbreak was declared in March last year.
00:51Smaller clusters were detected in the Murray lands in northern and central Adelaide late
00:55last year.
00:56The highly infectious disease is not common in Australia, but First Nations communities
01:01are still at risk of outbreaks.
01:04Why are these conditions still happening in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities
01:09with a high rate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in a lucky country
01:14like Australia?
01:15SA Health says authorities have also picked up 49 cases of latent TB in the APY lands
01:21after screening more than 800 people.
01:24Last June, the SA government announced $1.9 million to raise awareness around the disease.
01:32The recent state budget included $15.2 million to respond to current TB cases and identify
01:39and treat new ones.
01:41Tuberculosis is a result of colonisation and we are sure that this investment will really
01:46help reduce that disparity.
01:48But experts say investments are needed in other areas too.
01:53Part of the issue in terms of spread of communicable diseases like TB does go back to the whole
02:00issue about lack of appropriate housing.
02:04A broader view to prevent disease.
02:11For more UN videos visit www.un.org