BSS, Dhaka :
Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the major diseases in Bangladesh. Statistics show approximately 875 new cases are detected and 180 deaths occur due to tuberculosis in the country every day.
According to National TB Control Programme (NTP), in Bangladesh, incidence of all forms of TB (per 100,000 population per year) is 225, prevalence of all forms of TB (per 100,000 population per year) 434, TB death rate (per 100,000 population per year, excluding deaths among TB or HIV co infected) is 45, estimated multi-drug resistant (MDR) among new cases of TB 1.4 per cent and estimated MDR among old cases of TB 29 per cent. Nearly 40 per cent of the world’s tuberculosis patients are from South-East Asia.
Bely Begum, 37, of Asikati union under Chandpur Sadar upzila, had been suffering from fever and respiratory problem for a long time.
Her Husband Mohammad Karim became very anxious as his wife’s physical condition was deteriorating day by day. He had consultations with different physicians on the deteriorating condition of his wife, but he could not decide what to do.
With such mental agony, Karim took his wife to Shasthya Sebika Minara Begum, one of the community health volunteers appointed by BRAC. She suggested Bely to have a sputum test.
The test at Chandpur Sadar upazila health complex confirmed that Bely has contracted tuberculosis. Immediately her treatment started in Directly Observed Treatment Short Course (DOTS) system under the supervision of Minara.
Under the BRAC conducted TB programme in Asikati Union of Chandpur, Shasthya Sebika Minara took his cough to the upazila health complex where, it was confirmed, Bely contracted tuberculosis.
Under the DOTS Minara began six-month course on Baily.
“Now, I feel better after treatment,” she said.
TB can be cured if patients take regular medication in Directly Observed Treatment Short-course (DOTS) system, Minara said. According to National TB Control Programme (NTP), in 2002, DOTS was expanded to Dhaka Metropolitan City and by 2003, 99 per cent of the country’s population was brought under DOTS services.
NTP with the support of 42 NGOs including BRAC is maintaining high treatment success rate from the beginning and met the target of 85 per cent treatment success since 2003.
Dr Ahmed Hussain Khan, Director MBDC and Line Director TB-Leprosy of National TB control program, said the annual incidence for new smear-positive cases was 102 per 1,00,000 population. “The overall goal of TB control is to reduce morbidity, mortality and transmission of TB until it is no longer a public health problem,” he added.
Dr. Md Akramul Islam, Director, BRAC TB-Malaria, WASH and DECC programme said despite our remarkable success in controlling the infection, we have to concentrate on arresting the number of deaths and infected through DOTS.
Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the major diseases in Bangladesh. Statistics show approximately 875 new cases are detected and 180 deaths occur due to tuberculosis in the country every day.
According to National TB Control Programme (NTP), in Bangladesh, incidence of all forms of TB (per 100,000 population per year) is 225, prevalence of all forms of TB (per 100,000 population per year) 434, TB death rate (per 100,000 population per year, excluding deaths among TB or HIV co infected) is 45, estimated multi-drug resistant (MDR) among new cases of TB 1.4 per cent and estimated MDR among old cases of TB 29 per cent. Nearly 40 per cent of the world’s tuberculosis patients are from South-East Asia.
Bely Begum, 37, of Asikati union under Chandpur Sadar upzila, had been suffering from fever and respiratory problem for a long time.
Her Husband Mohammad Karim became very anxious as his wife’s physical condition was deteriorating day by day. He had consultations with different physicians on the deteriorating condition of his wife, but he could not decide what to do.
With such mental agony, Karim took his wife to Shasthya Sebika Minara Begum, one of the community health volunteers appointed by BRAC. She suggested Bely to have a sputum test.
The test at Chandpur Sadar upazila health complex confirmed that Bely has contracted tuberculosis. Immediately her treatment started in Directly Observed Treatment Short Course (DOTS) system under the supervision of Minara.
Under the BRAC conducted TB programme in Asikati Union of Chandpur, Shasthya Sebika Minara took his cough to the upazila health complex where, it was confirmed, Bely contracted tuberculosis.
Under the DOTS Minara began six-month course on Baily.
“Now, I feel better after treatment,” she said.
TB can be cured if patients take regular medication in Directly Observed Treatment Short-course (DOTS) system, Minara said. According to National TB Control Programme (NTP), in 2002, DOTS was expanded to Dhaka Metropolitan City and by 2003, 99 per cent of the country’s population was brought under DOTS services.
NTP with the support of 42 NGOs including BRAC is maintaining high treatment success rate from the beginning and met the target of 85 per cent treatment success since 2003.
Dr Ahmed Hussain Khan, Director MBDC and Line Director TB-Leprosy of National TB control program, said the annual incidence for new smear-positive cases was 102 per 1,00,000 population. “The overall goal of TB control is to reduce morbidity, mortality and transmission of TB until it is no longer a public health problem,” he added.
Dr. Md Akramul Islam, Director, BRAC TB-Malaria, WASH and DECC programme said despite our remarkable success in controlling the infection, we have to concentrate on arresting the number of deaths and infected through DOTS.
