Tuesday, August 14, 2007 City to mark TB day on Sunday
WITH August as national lung month and the national TB (tuberculosis) day on August 19 in mind, Center for Health Development Regional Director Myrna Cabotaje, in coordination with the Baguio City Health Services Office (CHSO), is requesting concerned offices for increased information campaign in battling tuberculosis with the theme, "TB kahit sino, kahit saan...Tutok Gamutan (Dots) lang yan!"
Appropriate recognition for health workers who contribute much in battling the disease is also being pushed, as to a letter from Cabotaje to Mayor Reinaldo Bautista Jr.
In a well-coordinated and continuing effort to check the spread of the disease, the two health agencies have earlier partnered, together with private health carers, in launching the Directly Observed Treatment Short-course (Dots) at the CHSO compound.
The Dots project is pushed by private and public health carers for a "comprehensive strategy emphasizing supervised treatment of TB patients by a treatment partner."
The complete treatment could take six months, with supervision from a Dots-accredited medical center such as the CHSO.
Accordingly, TB is an infectious disease caused by a bacterium primarily affecting the lungs but may also spread to other parts of the body.
Transmitted through close contact with family members, or through coughing, sneezing or spitting, the illness may spread through the lymph or blood vessels.
TB, in other parts of the body other than that of the lungs, is diagnosed as extrapulmonary TB and may affect the lymph nodes, bones and joints, brain or meninges, intestines, and liver. Symptoms would depend on the affected organ.
Pulmonary TB, on the other hand, may be characterized with cough for more than two weeks, fever, night sweats, chest and back pains, blood-streaked sputum or phlegm, easy fatigability and weight loss.
As per Cabotaje's letter, information dissemination is much needed since there are lots of misconceptions about the illness. Although individuals are vulnerable, the disease is curable, she added.
In an advisory given by the CHSO, it said TB can be diagnosed through sputum microscopy which is being offered by their unit and manned by Dr. Felicidad Ganga and Rebecca Guanzon.
Treatment is rendered free to qualified TB patients, and health education is given to all TB patients as well, at the Dots center in the CHSO compound.
The advocacy is done in coordination with the Department of Health, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation and the local government units involved. (JF)
