By James Kon

Bandar Seri Begawan – The main cause in the failure to treat patients suffering from Tuberculosis (TB) can be attributed to patients uncooperative in continuing the treatment during the prescribed period.
The result of their failure to continue undergoing the treatment could lead to a relapse of TB, passing TB onto others and causing the TB germs to become multi-drug resistant.

Datin Paduka Dr Hajah Intan binti Hj Salleh, the Deputy Permanent Secretary (Professional and Technical) at the Ministry of Health, made these remarks at the launching of the Tuberculosis Awareness Programme held in conjunction with World TB Day 2009 yesterday at the Tutong Central Mall.

“Cases of multi-drug resistant TB can be treated but it will take a long period (some cases until two years) with the intake of expensive anti-TB drugs
that have huge side-effects,” she said.

Fortunately, she said, “There is no TB multi-drug resistant cases reported among the local TB cases in the country. These conditions need to be continued to safeguard the public health from the dangers of stronger TB germs.”

She said, “TB can be prevented and treated until the patients are fully recovered. The detection of the disease and treatment is the key in prevention and controlling TB from spreading. The current method of treatment is the intake of anti-TB drugs for a long period of at least six months. Therefore, it is important for patients to follow the regime or systematic treatment to make sure that they can recover fully from the disease.

“In this matter, the Ministry of Health would like to urge all parties to cooperate in prevention and control of the disease. Patients need to continue their treatment until the end while it is hoped that friends, families and employers of the patients will always give support to the patients to continue their treatment.”

She said, “A total of 210 people were infected with Tuberculosis or TB in Brunei Darussalam last year. From the number of people infected, 74 per cent are locals.”

“The figure is lower when compared with 10 years ago when 266 persons contracted the disease in 1999. In general, the trend of Tuberculosis in Brunei Darussalam has been on the decline since the year 2001, however the rate of decline is very slow.”

Outlining the measures taken by the Ministry of Health in preventing and controlling TB, she said, “Among the steps are the establishment of TB control programme in March 2000, the setting up of National TB Coordination Centres in December 2000, increasing the detection of TB in the targeted group, implementation of Directly Observed Treatment, Short Course Treatment Strategy, increasing the health awareness and education activities and raising the effectiveness in tracing the disease.”

She hopes that the TB Awareness Programme can raise public awareness of the disease and serve as a catalyst to raise cooperation among all parties in preventing and controlling TB in the country.

The two-day TB Disease Awareness Roadshow in Tutong District ends today and moves on to Kuala Belait on May 9-10, 2009 at Plaza Seria.

On May 16, the TB Disease Awareness Roadshow will be held in Bumipurtra Complex of Temburong District.

The final destination of the TB Disease Awareness Roadshow will be at the Mall Gadong for Brunei-Muara District from May 23-24, 2009. — Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin