“Though Tuberculosis is one of the leading causes of death in the country, it can be cured,” says the Department of Health, as World Tuberculosis / TB Day (March 24) is drawing near.
Treatment for TB consists of a combination of four anti-TB drugs for six to eight months. The disease should never be treated with a single drug as this will worsen the patient’s condition. An irregular and incomplete treatment may promote drug resistance.
To detect and cure TB patients, the DOH prescribes the Directly Observed Treatment Short course (DOTS) which is an internationally recognized strategy endorsed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases (IUATLD).
DOTS services are available for free in the rural health units, city health centers, and in selected government and private hospitals, throughout the country.
DOTS can produce cure rates as high as 95% even in the poorest countries. (PIA)
