Prisons in Thailand to be free from TB

SUMUT PRAKARN, Sept 14 (TNA) - The Public Health Ministry and the Justice Ministry plans to abolish tuberculosis in prisons in accordance with the national strategy to wipe out TB from the country by 2035. Public Health Minister Piyasakol Sakolsatayadorn and Ruangsak Suwaree, deputy director-general of the Department of Corrections opened the event, called “Returning Healthy Persons to the Society” at the Samut Prakarn central prison. Dr Piyasakhon said that the World Health Organization ranked Thailand as one of 14 countries, facing severe Tuberculosis problems. The kingdom reported 120,000 new TB patients and more than 13,800 deaths each year. About 4,500 patients became drug-resistant and TB treatment costs the country about 1.2 million baht per person. Moreover, it found that about 60 per cent of TB patients were diagnosed and received treatment and approximately 80 per cent of these patients were fully recovered. The ministry has the five-year plan, staring this year in respond to the spread of TB. Among its measures are screening for infected cases, personnel development and researches for disease control and prevention. As prisoners are in at-risk groups, having 10 per cent higher chance to contract TB more than general public, the two agencies will work together to screen TB infections among inmates in 143 prisons across the country. From October 2016 to June 2017, about 1,400 prisoners were found having contracted TB. Intense screening campaign in the past two months found additional 1,900 TB infections, raising the total number to more than 3,300. They have been treated properly to prevent the spread of the diseases. (TNA)