57 Pct Pulmonary Tuberculosis Patients Diagnosed In W Sulawesi

Mamuju, W Sulawesi, Sept 29 (Antara) - The West Sulawesi Health Office has reported that 57 percent of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) patients were detected in West Sulawesi, while the government targets to treat 73 percent of the total patients recorded in 2013. Head of the West Sulawesi Health Office Ahmad Azis noted here on Monday that the local government and health department have made joint efforts to control the rapid spread of TB in West Sumatra, which has widely affected the community. Ahmad noted that besides holding public dialogue, the health department also disseminated information and distributed warning stickers related to the campaign program targeting remote rural areas in five districts. "The campaign is being promoted using leaflets that urge people exhibiting TB symptoms to immediately undergo routine medical treatment provided at the nearest health office," Ahmad emphasized. Moreover, the people of West Sulawesi still tend to opt for traditional medicine to cure their illnesses, especially those living in remote areas. Ahmad stated that as per information furnished by the medical team, about 2.2 thousand people in West Sulawesi were diagnosed with TB in 2012. "The people must be aware that the TB disease originates from germs that are highly contagious and spread everywhere, especially to anyone who is not in a healthy condition," Ahmad affirmed. A single TB patient, who is not medically treated, can spread the infection to 10 other people in a period of a year. "We can imagine that if 2.2 thousand TB patients in West Sulawesi are medically untreated, then the disease has the potential to spread to 1.2 million people each year in West Sulawesi," Ahmad added.