Sabah records an increase in TB cases
Published on: Sunday, September 14, 2014
Kota Kinabalu: Sabah recorded an increase in tuberculosis cases last year, with most of the cases in Kota Kinabalu, Sandakan and Tawau."In 2013, there were a total of 720 cases reported in Kota Kinabalu, 561 cases in Sandakan as well as 492 cases in Tawau," said Community Development and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Jainab Ahmad."Based on the Health Ministry, there were a total of 24,071 TB cases reported in Malaysia compared to 18,102 in 2009.ADVERTISEMENT "In Sabah, however, there were a total of 4,515 cases reported compared to 3,515 in 2009," she said, adding that the World Health Organisation (WHO) had categorised Malaysia as an intermediate TB burden country whereas China, India, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Philippines and Indonesia are categorised as high TB burden countries."WHO had categorised the countries in the world, including the Pacific regions into three categories based on their TB burden," she said.The high burden countries would be those that recorded more than 100 cases per 100,000 people and the intermediate ones would be between 25 to 100 cases per 100,000 people.The low ones are those countries that recorded less than 25 cases per 100,000 people, she said during the Tuberculosis Community Programme at Kg Numbak, here, Saturday.ADVERTISEMENT In relation to this, WHO had set several aims to reduce the disease in Malaysia by tracking 70 per cent of tuberculosis cases and to ensure that 100 per cent of its patients received the Directly Observed Therapy (DOT) besides curing 85 per cent of those who had been tracked.Therefore, Jainab said the Government is committed to tracking down TB patients as well as treating them.
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"I understand that the State Health Department had drafted the Tuberculosis Control Strategic Plan 2011-2015 in line with the recommendations set by WHO to stop the spread of the disease," she said.Among them is to strengthen the health service component system by increasing the tracking system of tuberculosis.Besides that, they must also prepare a high quality of tuberculosis treatment management, creating awareness among the community in preventing the disease, to decrease the spread of the disease as well as to promote research on the disease."The health facility system in Malaysia is considered to be capable of offering the best service in the region."Health staff were also sent to hold medical visits, especially to rural areas that have poor transportation system. Most of the government clinics now are equipped with the microscope facility to diagnose tuberculosis," she explained.The Ministry, Jainab said, recognised the role played by private medical practitioners in terms of detecting the disease through chest x-rays and sputum tests, besides informing the patients about their treatments and medication side effects based on the guidelines set by the Health Ministry.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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Towards this end, Jainab hoped the cooperation between all parties will help stop the spread of the disease in the country and achieve the aim of WHO to eliminate the disease throughout the world by year 2050.She also advised the people with signs of the disease to get themselves checked at clinics or hospitals, stressing the importance of prevention for the disease at the grassroots level.