TB is a Serious Public Health problem in our Country

The Programme Manager of the National Leprosy and Tuberculosis Programme Sierra Leone, Dr Foday Dafae including Farma Health Services Manager Mr.P.S.Farma has disclosed at press briefing last Friday, March 21st, that Tuberculosis (TB) is a massive global health problem which kills 2 million people yearly and 9 million new cases detected.



Mr. Dafae was speaking ahead of the World TB day which was slated for Monday, March 24th with the Theme: I Am Stopping TB. Giving a brief background about the diseases Mr. Dafae said TB was discovered by Dr. Robert Koch. At that time the discovery of the bacteria that causes tuberculosis astounded scientists the world over.

Mr.Farma warned that TB is an air borne disease that is transferable from one person to another. Describing how the disease transfers, he said that people with TB infected pulmonary (lung) transfer it to other persons when they cough, sneeze or spit in the open. Mr.Farma stressed that to become infected one can only inhale few of those micro-organisms. A TB infected person does not necessarily feel ill; he noted and added that if the person’s immunity is low, the disease might progress into further attacking the lungs and other organs, which subsequently can be fatal if not treated.

However, the National Leprosy/Tuberculosis programme statistics recorded the following registered new cases during the years 2004 - 2007

2004: 5,863
2005: 6,930
2006: 8,208
2007: 9,623

Health workers in Sierra Leone have observed that the estimated figures are far more than the total number of infected persons nationwide.

TB most time kills people in Sierra Leone where there are not medical facilities to diagnose the disease, the 35 years of experience doctor noted. Mr.Farma further disclosed that Sierra Leone is presently boasting of 84 diagnostic centres with HIV/AIDS testing opportunity. He said in 2004, Sierra Leone was having less than 20 centres. He pleaded that members of the press help in informing and educating the general public that TB is a killer disease. He asked that the attention that is given to HIV/AIDS be given to TB. He said this will encourage infected persons to report for medical treatment which is free. Mr.Farma said the World Health Organisation set a target to detect 70% of sputum positive cases out of a successful treatment of 85% per year.
Meanwhile a 52 % detection rate is the latest discovery of TB out spread in Sierra Leone .Mr.Farma declares that it is time bound to take action beyond our current effort as a country that will ensure a goal of success