Tuberculosis continues to be a public health problem in South Africa from diagnosis to treatment

The latest Global tuberculosis report 2013 released by the World Health Organization indicates that South Africa, together with other African countries, is unlikely to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) set for 2015. The intrinsic impact of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) control on the burden of tuberculosis is an important confounder for countries in sub-Saharan Africa. The prospects of an improved vaccine becoming available, as part of efforts to control tuberculosis, will take years to come to fruition. The primary strategy for control is likely to continue to rely on early diagnosis and initiation of appropriate treatment.