DDC Director-General Tares Krassanairawiwong (Photo: thaipbsworld.com) Bangkok (VNA) – In an attempt to prevent the spread of tuberculosis (TB) in the community, Thailand’s Department of Disease Control (DDC) is urging thepublic to get screened for the disease, especially individuals with underlyingmedical conditions.
DDC Director-General Tares Krassanairawiwong said the public needs to keep their guard up, as according to the World HealthOrganisation (WHO), Thailand is among the top 30 countries with the most active tuberculosiscases in the world.
Each year, the nation logs an average of 103,000 newtuberculosis cases, and about 12,000 people die from TB-related ailments everyyear, according to WHO figures cited by Tares.
While about 25% of Thailand's population havebuilt up some resistance to TB, those with weakened immune systemsare still very likely to develop severe symptoms.
Therefore, Tares stressed that people who sufferfrom chronic health issues, such as diabetes and HIV/AIDS, as well as people withhigh-risk factors, such as inmates or others living in cramped quarters, addictsand alcoholics, migrant workers and frontline medical staff, should considergetting regular screening for tuberculosis.
Dr Phalin Kamolwat, director of the department's TB division, affirmed that TB is a treatable disease, but patients are recommendedto continuously take medications for six months.
He said that it is important to detect thedisease during its early stages. Most importantly, people who havefamily members with TB are advised to seek immediate medicalattention to avoid transmission.
TB is a respiratory disease that can be transmittedthrough air, coughing, sneezing and talking. Common symptoms include persistentcough that lasts over two weeks, mild fever, loss of appetite andweight loss./.
