TB remains a health burden

THIS is no joke that the rates of Tuberculosis, drug resistant Tuberculosis (TB) and TB/HIV co-infection in Papua New Guinea are among the worst in the world.
In recent years, there have been 30,000 new cases of TB and 3,000 new HIV cases annually.
Untreated TB is a highly infectious disease and there are 6,000 new cases each year in the National Capital District.
That’s 500 every month, and about 48 every day.
High population mobility, poor TB control and crowded settlements contribute to the fast spread of the disease in NCD.
Western and Gulf are other hotspot provinces.
World Vision is working in hotspots like Port Moresby and Daru.
Effective treatment requires daily medication.
However, many patients don’t complete the treatment, leading to new, multiple drug-resistant strains of tuberculosis known as MDR TB.
In Daru, the Australian Government and World Vision are partnering with Papua New Guinea’s Health Department to support the Stop TB project.
The rapidly increasing number of drug-resistant TB patients is actually the main concern.
With the drug sensitive type, you can actually have a cure rate of 100 per cent, but if it’s the drug-resistant TB it’s down to 60, 70 per cent.
PNG is recognised by the WHO (World Health Organisation) as a having a “high TB burden”.
This is a health security issue for PNG to deal with.
TB is an airborne infection and the bacteria are spread through the air from one person to another.
The TB bacteria are put into the air when a person with TB disease of the lungs or throat coughs, speaks, or sings.
People nearby may breathe in these bacteria and become infected.
It can be fatal if left untreated.
If left untreated, one person can infect 10 to 15 people every year.
While the majority of these cases make a full recovery, TB is responsible for the deaths of about 10 people in PNG every day.
That’s a shocking waste of good people’s lives.
The increasing incidences of drug-resistant strains, and limited access to adequate healthcare, the nation has seen a recent resurgence of support from international governments and medical humanitarian agencies.
To treat tuberculosis infection, a daily regimen of injections, oral medication and supervised medical care of anywhere between six to 24 months is recommended.
TB remains a significant public health problem with national indicators showing stagnating and, in some provinces, declining treatment success rates.
Children face the greatest risk of contracting disabling forms of tuberculosis.
Reports say many remotely-situated TB sufferers die of the disease without ever receiving a formal diagnosis.
Inconsistent treatment can not only increase the disease’s severity but also strengthen the infection’s resistance to treatment options.
Friday was World TB day.
Apart from those concerned with the epidemic, it is a shame that this day went by quietly.
The TB epidemic isn’t just a national public health threat for Papua New Guinea.
If not adequately managed, the epidemic could have social and economic ramifications for the entire Asia-Pacific.
Although TB is a complex disease, prevention and testing every persistent cough can be easy and free of charge.
The coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic has caused enormous health, social and economic impacts since 2020.
This includes impacts on the provision of and access to essential TB services, the number of people diagnosed with TB and notified as TB cases through national disease surveillance systems, and TB disease burden (incidence and mortality).
Government must maintain a sense of urgency in their emergency response efforts.
Government commitment is key to tackling the pandemic.