TB cases rising

 By FAYE MIKA

PAPUA New Guinea has seen an increase in the number of Tuberculosis (TB) cases since the withdrawal of the treatment volunteers in 2009, an official says.

Specialist and deputy chief physician at the Port Moresby General hospital Dr Joseph Bana Koiri said this last Friday during the World TB Day media launching in Port Moresby.

“Treatment outcomes for 2005 and 2009 were well above the national average and nearing global targets of 85% with low defaulter rates,” he said.

“This however has dropped significantly when the treatment volunteer ceased in 2009.”

He said after the withdrawal, the number of resistant cases began to increase in the southern region, contributing to the highest number and was termed the “hot spot” for TB in the country.

“We can clearly see from the trend now that patients need guidance to take medication and to avoid the spread,” Bana Koiri said.

The major problem faced today by NCD alone is defaulting patients.

According to statistics from the National Department of Health (NDOH), more than 20% of TB cases reported so far in the country are from the capital despite the availability of quality management services.

Koiri said not all patients completed their six-month doses which he believes happens as a result of negligence and encouraged stakeholders to bring back the volunteer treatment programme.

The volunteer treatment programme involves a support person who can be a family member or an outsider to help the patient complete his or her doses.