… Speaker of National Assembly leads commitment to end the ‘silent killer’ that claims thousands of Basotho lives every year.
In a historic gathering at the National Assembly, the Parliament of Lesotho officially launched the Parliamentary TB Caucus, marking a significant step in the nation’s fight against tuberculosis.
The event brought together local leaders and international experts to confront a disease that continues to kill more people in Africa than almost any other infectious condition.
While the mood was hopeful, speakers did not shy away from the grim reality facing Lesotho today.
Mokhothu Makhalanye, Chair of Chairs for Parliament Portfolio Committees, opened the proceedings by reminding the audience that TB is often ignored because it lacks the dramatic profile of other global health crises.
Makhalanyane noted that, unlike COVID-19 or HIV, TB is a quiet disease that takes lives slowly and silently. He stressed that the greatest irony is that TB is entirely curable. If the nation focuses its resources and energy on eliminating the disease now, it will not only save thousands of lives but also safeguard the country’s financial future by reducing long-term healthcare costs.
The urgency of the situation was underlined by the Minister of Health, Mamokete Ntšekhe, who provided the latest data on the epidemic.
In 2024 alone, an estimated 13,000 Basotho fell ill with tuberculosis. Perhaps most alarming was the revelation that nearly half of those affected remain undiagnosed.
These missing patients continue to live in their communities without treatment, unintentionally spreading the infection to their families and neighbours.
Lesotho currently holds a tragic record, ranking as the country with the highest TB burden in Africa and the fourth highest in the world.
Lord Nick Herbert, Chairman of the Global TB Caucus, travelled to Maseru to support the launch. He shared that the movement began a decade ago with only a few concerned lawmakers and has now grown to include over 3,000 parliamentarians in 161 countries.
Herbert explained that while medicine and money are important, the most critical ingredient for success is leadership. He urged members of the Lesotho Parliament to use their unique voices to speak for those who have no voice, the victims living in poverty who are most affected by the disease.
The Speaker of the National Assembly, Tlohang Sekhamane, formally accepted the role of TB Champion. He stated that Parliament has a critical role to play in changing this sad reality.
“As legislators we are entrusted with the responsibility to enact laws that strengthen the health and well-being of women and children who live with HIV and to improve treatment services. Our resource allocation and oversight responsibilities are equally important. We must not only ensure that adequate resources are allocated for TB programmes, but it is also incumbent upon us to follow these resources with relentless rigour and probity to ensure they are used efficiently and that commitments made by government and partners translate into tangible improvements in the lives of our people.”
In a powerful gesture of commitment, the Barcelona Declaration was read to the House, a document that outlines a global strategy to end TB within a single generation.
By endorsing this declaration, the Parliament of Lesotho has pledged to ensure that every patient has access to quick and accurate diagnosis, regardless of their ability to pay.
The Speaker emphasised that TB is not just a medical problem but a development challenge that hurts the nation’s economy and keeps families in poverty.
Health officials also highlighted the difficult obstacles standing in the way of progress.
Dr Llang Maama, Acting Director General of Health Services, spoke about the deep connection between TB and poverty. She explained that many patients struggle to stay on their medication because they do not have enough food to eat.
“Taking strong TB drugs on an empty stomach is painful and difficult, leading some to stop their treatment early,” she said.
She warned that this non-adherence can lead to drug-resistant TB, which is much harder and more expensive to cure.
The rugged terrain of Lesotho also makes it difficult for healthcare workers to reach people in remote villages, meaning geography itself remains a barrier to health.
Public Health Officer Dr Sirak Hailu from the World Health Organization urged the new caucus to turn their political promises into specific activities with clear deadlines. He reminded lawmakers that the global goal is to end the TB epidemic by 2030.
“While Lesotho has made some progress in reducing the number of deaths in recent years, the current pace is not fast enough to meet the target. The new caucus is seen as the engine that will drive the country toward a future where no Mosotho has to die from a disease that can be cured with a simple course of medicine,” he said.
Summary
- In a historic gathering at the National Assembly, the Parliament of Lesotho officially launched the Parliamentary TB Caucus, marking a significant step in the nation’s fight against tuberculosis.
- We must not only ensure that adequate resources are allocated for TB programmes, but it is also incumbent upon us to follow these resources with relentless rigour and probity to ensure they are used efficiently and that commitments made by government and partners translate into tangible improvements in the lives of our people.
- In a powerful gesture of commitment, the Barcelona Declaration was read to the House, a document that outlines a global strategy to end TB within a single generation.
Ntsoaki Motaung is an award-winning health journalist from Lesotho, specializing in community health stories with a focus on sexual and reproductive health and rights, as well as HIV. She has contributed to platforms like “Be in the KNOW,” highlighting issues such as the exclusion of people with disabilities from HIV prevention efforts in Lesotho.
In addition to her journalism, Ntsoaki serves as the Country Coordinator for the Regional Media Action Plan Support Network (REMAPSEN). She is also a 2023 CPHIA Journalism Fellow.
