ILOILO CITY — The Department of Health (DOH) on Monday warned that drug-resistant tuberculosis (DRTB) cases are more dangerous than drug-susceptible tuberculosis (DSTB) with the incidence alarming in Western Visayas.
Adrian Hort Ramos, national tuberculosis program (NTP) technical staff, said that from 425 DRTB cases in 2016, the number has increased to 505 in 2017.
While DRTB and DSTB register similar symptoms, the former has a faster progression. Also, drugs being provided through health centers are no longer effective because DRTB needs stronger antibiotic or anti-TB drugs.
Ramos explained further that the medicines provided through health centers are intended to kill active TB bacteria. However, dormant TB bacteria get activated in DRTB cases.
Ramos added the treatment of patients with DRTB will no longer confine in the six-month period but will depend on the kind of bacteria that they are exposed to.
Nonetheless, TB regardless whether it is DRTB or DSTB is dangerous when left untreated.
In 2017, Western Visayas also registered 36,311 total TB cases, a four percent decline when compared with the 27,536 cases in 2016.
Of the 2017 statistics, 25, 945 are DRTB and are currently being treated in TB-Directly Observed Treatment Short Course (DOTS).
Ramos further explained that persons with diabetes, living with HIV infection and smokers as well as males and the urban poor are more susceptible to the TB infection. He urged them to avail of the free screening provided for free in health centers.
Dr. Elvie Villalobos, DOH head for the infectious and emerging disease cluster, said that the country hopes to become TB-free by 2050. He explained that the strategy is now focused on elimination rather than prevention.
They are now reaching out to the community to intensify their case finding rather than just wait for patients to visit government facilities.
Ramos added that they are also into finding out missing cases or those TB patients who seek treatment from private clinics or doctors because their record only reflects data from government health facilities. (PNA)
