State’s TB cases on the increase, seek medication if you have those symptoms: Expert
KUCHING: The number of tuberculosis (TB) cases in Sarawak today is considered to be high.
And if that is not scary enough, cases are adding up, and the authorities are worried.
State Health Department director Dr Jamilah Hashim said in 2008 there were 1,821 TB cases while last year a total of 3,121 cases were reported.
“That’s an increase of 70 per cent within a span of ten years, and the number has increased by an annual average of six per cent in the state,” she told reporters during the World TB Day Run 2019 at Saradise, BDC near here today.
She said 70 per cent increase in 10 years is disturbing and a six percent yearly average is worrying.
She added that of the number of reported cases last year, 249 people died of TB.
To a question, Dr Jamilah disclosed that Kuching recorded the highest number of cases due to its population.
Asked why the cases are on the increase, she said: “The reasons could either be the lack of awareness or people are afraid or reluctant to go for medical screening or get treated.”
Dr Jamilah also said that TB is curable and preventable if it is detected and treated early.
“When patients are diagnosed, they must complete their medication within six months,” she said.
She added that to ensure patients comply and do not skip the prescribed medication, they must take the medication under the Directly Observed Treatment-Short course (Dots) as recommended by WHO, which means that the medication are taken in the presence of trained health staff and they sign off the patient’s medication card.
“In rural areas where it can be hard to travel to hospitals or clinics, the doctors will ask the patient’s family members to do the supervision at home,” she said.
According to Dr Jamilah, there is an on-going programme statewide to drive the awareness message.
She said the state will do more: “There will also be a mobile bus service throughout Sarawak, especially to rural areas, to conduct chest X-ray so that early detection of TB can be done.”
She added that TB is an infectious disease caused by a germ called (Mycobacterium tuberculosis) which most often affects the lungs and if not treated properly, can be fatal.
“The common symptoms of TB are coughing that lasts for two weeks or more, loss of appetite and weight, prolonged fever, night sweats, and swelling of lymph nodes.”
She said those with such symptoms, should seek expert advice immediately, both for own health and the health of those around you.
She said when a TB infected person sneezes and coughs, he or she can infect up to 10 to 15 other people. For that reason, it is important for people to have proper cough etiquette to prevent TB from spreading.
“In 2017, the World Health Organisation (WHO) estimated that 1.6 million people died of TB globally,” she said.
That, she said, is bad news and Sarawak must do its best to not contribute to that grim statistics.
More than 1,200 people participated in the run today which was flagged-off by Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian.
