Early TB diagnosis is crucial

DEPARTMENT of Health’s public health deputy secretary Ken Wai says identifying people living with tuberculosis (TB) early and putting them on treatment can cure the disease.
Wai, speaking during the World TB Day in Port Moresby last week, encouraged people to go for checkups, get treatment and complete the treatment plan faithfully.
“TB is a treatable and curable disease and we have medicines,” he said.
“It can be healed and cured when you receive treatment faithfully for six months or how many months as per the doctor’s advice.”
He said unlike malaria and typhoid, TB was a very dangerous disease.
“If we identify people living with TB and put them on full treatment daily for six months, they’ll be cured and be discharged,” he said.
“But if you don’t complete the treatment plan, the tubercle bacilli bacteria is a cunning germ that can develop resistance.
“If it develops resistance, instead of six months, it will go up to 18 months and then we have another line called extreme drug resistance which would be 24 months.
“That is why if you are identified as suffering from TB, you must take your medication faithfully within the first six months.”
Wai said family members of a TB patient should be supportive to the patients.
“It is a threat to the family and clan so everybody must contribute to the healing process of the TB patient without stigma and discrimination,” he said.
He added that one known TB case was equal to 10 to 15 hidden cases.