Tuberculosis looms as a potential threat to Apec summit

National

THE high rate of tuberculosis (TB) in the National Capital District poses a health risk to the Apec meeting in Port Moresby next year, according to deputy health secretary Dr Paison Dakulala.
He said NCD had 45 per cent of the TB burden in the country, with more than 30,000 people diagnosed.
“PNG is on the list of high-burden countries for TB and multi-drug resistant TB and TB-HIV co-infections,” he said.
“This causes a significant impact on the health system and the country’s economy. This has a health security issue for Papua New Guinea and for other countries.
“This is specifically important considering the Apec Summit we will be hosting next year, where global players in the industry and firms will be coming.
“For several months, they will be having meetings here. One of the big issues we have to deal with is TB.”
He said despite the efforts they had put in to reduce the numbers, they still had poor treatment outcome. He said in Western, they had set up the whole component of direct observed treatment support (Dots) which was functioning well.