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 the public to get screened for the disease, especially individuals with underlying medical conditions.
DDC Director-General Tares Krassanairawiwong said the public needs to keep their guard up, as according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Thailand is among the top 30 countries with the most active tuberculosis cases in the world.
Each year, the nation logs an average of 103,000 new tuberculosis cases, and about 12,000 people die from TB-related ailments every year, according to WHO figures cited by Tares.
While about 25% of Thailand's population have built up some resistance to TB, those with weakened immune systems are still very likely to develop severe symptoms.
Therefore, Tares stressed that people who suffer from chronic health issues, such as diabetes and HIV/AIDS, as well as people with high-risk factors, such as inmates or others living in cramped quarters, addicts and alcoholics, migrant workers and frontline medical staff, should consider getting regular screening for tuberculosis.
Dr Phalin Kamolwat, director of the department's TB division, affirmed that TB is a treatable disease, but patients are recommended to continuously take medications for six months.
He said that it is important to detect the disease during its early stages. Most importantly, people who have family members with TB are advised to seek immediate medical attention to avoid transmission.
TB is a respiratory disease that can be transmitted through air, coughing, sneezing and talking. Common symptoms include persistent cough that lasts over two weeks, mild fever, loss of appetite and weight loss./.
