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World Tuberculosis (TB) Day, on 24th March
2007, recognizes the global fight against tuberculosis. |
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While TB remains a major health problem
around the world, Singapore has continued to see a drop in the number of
TB cases. |
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Over the past ten years, Singapore has
seen a steady decline in the number of TB cases. There were 1,256
cases in 2006, compared to 1,712 cases in 1997. |
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In 2006, the incidence rate of TB
declined to 34.8 new cases per 100,000 resident population, from
37.0 per 100,000 in 2005 and 54.9 per 100,000 in 1997. |
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In 2006, men accounted for 863 (69%
percent) of new TB cases in Singapore, and more than half (55%) of
the patients were aged 50 years and above. |
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The concerted efforts carried out
under the Singapore Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (STEP) and
by the medical community have contributed to the decline in TB
cases in Singapore. Singapore Tuberculosis Elimination Programme. |
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To combat the problem of TB, the
Ministry of Health embarked on the Singapore Tuberculosis
Elimination Programme (STEP) in 1997. |
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The key component of the STEP is early
diagnosis and proper treatment of patients with TB. This will cure
and prevent further transmission of the disease and emergence of
drug-resistant TB. |
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Importance of adherence to
treatment |
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Tuberculosis can be cured with proper
treatment consisting of at least three different drugs to be taken
regularly for six to nine months. |
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Persons who do not complete the full
course of treatment or are irregular with treatment may not be
cured and may continue to be infectious and may develop drug
resistant TB. They also have an increased risk of suffering a
relapse of TB in the future. |
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Directly Observed Therapy (DOT) is an
international standard of care for TB treatment. In DOT, a trained
healthcare professional monitors the patient taking each dose of
anti-TB medication. |
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DOT is a major component of STEP,
contributing to the success of the programme. When TB patients
receive their medications under DOT, both patients and the
community benefit. DOT improves patients' adherence to the
complete treatment regimen and enables healthcare workers to
regularly monitor the patients for side effects of treatment. |
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By ensuring treatment compliance, the
patient becomes non-infectious sooner, and rates of drug
resistance in the community also decrease. The Ministry therefore
strongly supports DOT as an ideal mode of treatment for patients
with TB. |
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Family and community support
critical |
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Because the treatment regimen for TB
is prolonged, it is critical for the patient to receive the full
support of his family, friends, workplace and community, so that
he can successfully complete treatment and be cured. This will
then help to limit the spread of TB and reduce the burden of this
disease in our country. |
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Ministry's Advice |
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TB is an air borne disease transmitted
through respiratory droplets from a person with the disease.
Persons with TB disease may have a prolonged cough and blood in
the sputum. They may also have fever, night sweats, loss of weight
and appetite and feel tired and fatigued easily. |
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The Ministry would like to advise
persons who have symptoms of the disease (prolonged cough, blood
in the sputum, fever, night sweats, loss of weight and appetite,
tiredness and fatigue) to consult a doctor as soon as possible.
This will allow treatment to be started early if TB is diagnosed. |
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The Ministry also advises all persons
diagnosed with tuberculosis to follow the advice of their doctor,
and to complete treatment for tuberculosis. |
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Members of the public who wish to find
out more about tuberculosis may obtain more information at the
Health Promotion Board
website. |
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Source:
www.moh.gov.sg Press Release
20 Mar 2007 |
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FrontPage Edition: Tue 3 April 2007
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