Tutu calls for more action to prevent, diagnose and treat TB during screening of film marking World TB Day in South Africa.
The private gala screening of the film Breathe Umphefumlo and its introduction by Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu has brought home the grim reality of the toll TB has taken on so many South Africans.
Tuberculosis is the number one cause of death in South Africa, with more than 50,000 people dying of TB every year.
ldquoIt is disgraceful. We canrsquot accept this. There are people dying who need not die. We canrsquot go on accepting that people dienbsp – and die unnecessarily. It is unacceptable. It is immoral. TB is a treatable disease,rdquo Tutu said at Stellenbosch University on Monday night.
Tutu said the fight against TB needed to be lsquoour next liberation strugglersquo.
ldquoWe need a new set of tools to diagnose and treat the disease.rdquo
Breathe Umphefumlo, which is an adaptation of Giacomo Puccinirsquos opera La Boheme, held its first South African screening at Stellenbosch University to mark World TB Day – March 24.
The filmrsquos main character, Mimi, dies from tuberculosis – an illness which has not abated – and indeed has risen in South Africa – since the 19th century when La Boheme was first performed in Turin, Italy.
ldquoThe townships where the performers are drawn from, are amongst some of the worldrsquos highest infection areas for TB. Many of the cast members have friends or relatives who have suffered from tuberculosis. TB is a time bomb waiting to explode unless we do more about it,rdquo said Mark Dornford-May, director of Breathe Umphefumlo.
The film, which earned rave reviews during the recent Berlin Film Festival, is a collaboration between the Isango Ensemble, the Desmond Tutu TB Centre, Stellenbosch University and the Desmond amp Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation.
ldquoIrsquom proud to be part of a university which transforms by doing things differently,rdquo said Nulda Beyers, Director of the Desmond Tutu TB Centre at Stellenbosch University.
ldquoBy bringing together academic research, film, music, art and the Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation, wersquore working together to develop new ways to raise awareness about TB.rdquo
Professor Beyers hopes the film will be shown as widely as possible, including in schools and community halls. It is due to be released in movie theatres and on television next year.
In its adaptation of La Boheme, Breathe – Umphefumlo moves the action from winter in 19th century Paris to Youth Day in 21st century Khayelitsha, Cape Town, where struggling artists, writers and actors are eking out a living on the margins of society.
With the naiumlve arrogance of youth, they think they will live forever. But one of them will not.
Lungelo has to watch as she dies. Even though most people who have TB can be cured, many still die.
Beyers sees clear parallels with South Africa today. She says people need to be encouraged to get diagnosed for TB and to seek and keep going with treatment, while nurses and clinic staff need to be vigilant about identifying people who may be showing signs of TB.
ldquoToo many people are falling through the cracks ndash and we should do all we can to make sure everyone who needs it, is treated for TB.rdquo
The symptoms of active TB of the lung are coughing, sometimes with sputum or blood, chest pains, weakness, weight loss, fever and night sweats. Tuberculosis is treatable with a six-month course of antibiotics.
At the reception after the screening of the film, Executive Director of the Desmond amp Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation, Mpho Tutu, launched a childrenrsquos game for to help teach children about TB and the importance of taking treatment for it. She also launched a chart which helps TB patients to track their treatment.
PREPARED BY KIM CLOETE ON BEHALF OF THE DESMOND TUTU TB CENTRE, DEPARTMENT OF PAEDIATRICS AND CHILD HEALTH, STELLENBOSCH UNIVERSITY. FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT KIM AT 082 4150736 OR cloetek@yahoo.co.uk.
Source : Desmond Tutu TB Centre