Sanofi-Aventis, South African Health Department Sign TB Partnership Agreement

Pharmaceutical company Sanofi-Aventis and the South African Department of Health on Friday signed a public-private partnership for the management and control of tuberculosis in the country, BuaNews/AllAfrica.com reports. The agreement formalized the existing partnership between Sanofi's TB Free program, DOH and the Nelson Mandela Foundation. The agreement was signed at one of the four provincial centers established under TB Free that provide health care workers with training in directly observed treatment, short course, or DOTS, standards. About 3,500 health workers have been trained in the four centers. The program aims to establish five additional provincial centers in the remaining provinces. According to Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, South Africa's TB control program needs to include a strong nutritional component and provide more education to improve disease interventions (Modisane, BuaNews/AllAfrica.com, 8/21).