 |
|
| Kathmandu Tuesday March 26, 2002 Chaitra 13, 2058. |
|
Combating TB
The other day, the country observed Tuberculosis
Day with pledges to fight tuberculosis (TB) which claims more than 10,000 lives every
year. A curable disease that attacks the lungs, bones, kidneys, the central nervous system
and other parts of the body, TB is caused by a bacteria and is still responsible for more
deaths among adults than any other infectious disease. In recent years there has been a
spurt in the incidence of TB because it is one of the diseases that surfaces when a human
body’s immune defences are eroded by the onslaught of AIDS. Seventy five percent of
HIV/AIDS patients here are believed to be suffering from TB. Conversely, great hope has
been generated in the fight against this widespread disease because of the development of
DOTS, the Directly Observed Treatment Short (DOTS) course. The DOTS programme, which began
since the restoration of democracy, has covered all 75 districts. DOTS, launched by WHO is
a "sure cure programme", that identifies TB patients, prevents them from
mingling with family members and monitors them closely until they visibly recover from the
disease. DOTS officials claim that its success rate is more than 85 percent in this
country. This is an encouraging figure. And the success rate is even higher in East Asia.
Contracting TB is no longer the death sentence it used to be in previous generations.
Yet TB remains a huge menace because of all the
other problems that are endemic to our health system. District hospitals continue to
remain without medical personnel, leave aside skilled health assistants meant for dealing
with TB patients. The country lacks enough medical personnel and doctors prefer the
capital city, which provides them more opportunities, to district hospitals. This is the
main reason why a number of state-run primary health centres continue to remain without
medical, personnel particularly in the remote areas. There is simply sheer lack of access
to basic medical care or close health supervision. A full fifty percent of the TB patients
especially in remote areas have no access to DOTS yet. Besides, many TB patients are
unaware of such facilities existing in this country. While it is AIDS that has grabbed the
headlines in recent years, TB is still the disease that exacts a greater social cost from
the country. The disease not only cripples productive manpower but also makes thousands of
children orphans every year. Weighing these costs to society and the economy, the
government should play a more active role in wrestling this disease to the ground. True it
may be that treatment of TB will improve gradually as the public health system in general
makes strides. But we do not have to wait till then. There are more immediate measures
that the government can and must take. One such measure is to implement the DOTS programme
more effectively so that the success rate approaches the hundred percent level. Another
immediate measure is to allocate more money. It will be a wise investment not only in
terms of the future health of society but also in the greater productivity of the economy. |
