I’m standing with Aeras and its partners in calling upon you to prioritize tuberculosis R&D in the Declaration on TB in the Mining Sector.

Dear Southern African Development Community Nations, I’m standing with Aeras and its partners in calling upon you to prioritize tuberculosis R&D in the Declaration on TB in the Mining Sector. While we scale up disease control efforts today, new tools are urgently needed to significantly reduce the spread of TB in the mines, and the broader region, in order to achieve TB elimination. TB is claiming the lives of thousands of miners each year. South African gold mines are reported to have the highest rates of TB in the world, contributing to the spread of this airborne, infectious disease across the region1. TB is also a serious economic issue for miners and their families, industry and governments. Each year, staggering numbers of miners develop active TB, keeping them out of the workforce. In countries like South Africa, where mining contributes approximately 20% of GDP and more than 1 million jobs2, TB threatens the long-term economic viability of the industry due to rising costs and limitations of what can be achieved through traditional disease control methods. SADC nations, and the world, need new tools to fight this epidemic. Public-private partnerships to support TB R&D remain the best long-term solution to getting to zero deaths, zero new infections and zero suffering. We urgently recommend that SADC ministers prioritize tuberculosis R&D in the Declaration on TB in the Mining Sector. I’m signing this letter because I feel strongly that we must close the R&D gap in the SADC’s Declaration on TB in the Mining Sector. Sincerely, Your Name _____________ ERICK OKIOMA

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