Jakarta high-risk zone for TB disease<\/p>\n
Sari P. Setiogi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Biyan (not his real name) is a keyboardist with a famous music
\nband in Jakarta, who earns a good income, lives in a luxurious
\nhouse in a prestigious neighborhood in Jakarta, and whose father
\nis an internist. It never occurred to him that he might be
\ninfected with TB.<\/p>\n
The 23-year-old was therefore very much surprised when his
\ndoctor told him two years ago that he had tuberculosis, better
\nknown as TB.<\/p>\n
"My doctor said I might have gotten infected with TB because
\nof the nocturnal lifestyle I lead. I am an active smoker and so
\nare others in my environment. As part of a band playing in
\nseveral clubs, it is hard for me to get home before 4 a.m. I only
\nhave a few hours to sleep," said Biyan.<\/p>\n
Dr. Wia Melia of the Organization for Eradication of
\nTuberculosis (PPTI) lung clinic in Tanah Tinggi, Central Jakarta,
\ntold The Jakarta Post that smoking and a nocturnal lifestyle were
\npotential causes of TB.<\/p>\n
"Some of my patients here are women working in nightclubs,
\npubs or billiard arcades in Mangga Dua and Mangga Besar. They
\ninhale secondhand smoke from cigarettes almost 24 hours a day,
\nand it is weakening their lungs," she said. "A person's working
\nenvironment and house are important factors," she added.<\/p>\n
"The current tough economic situation also puts people in a
\nstressful condition. It also becomes difficult for people to
\nmaintain their health in an excellent condition," said Wia.<\/p>\n
She also said that the city's pollution levels were rising and
\nwere thus reducing the people's access to clean and healthy air.
\n"Eating habits are also important. Most people these days have
\nbad diets and less time to exercise," she said.<\/p>\n
The chances of infection by the mycobacterium tubercolosis
\nbacteria that causes TB would increase if a person's physical
\ncondition is weak, or if one is suffering from malnutrition, she
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Tuberculosis patients who were treated at the PPTI clinic,
\nsaid Wia, were increasing by about 10 percent per annum.<\/p>\n
By the end of 2002, there were 1,457 patients treated by the
\nclinic. About 30 percent were declared healthy after medication,
\nwhile 31 patients later died. In 2001, there were 1,280 patients,
\nof whom 1,162 were cured and 53 died.<\/p>\n
In the meantime, Dr. Tjandra Yoga Aditama, a lung specialist
\nat Persahabatan Hospital in East Jakarta, told the Post that
\nduring peak days he would sometimes treat about 100 TB patients.<\/p>\n
"About 30 of them would be first-time patients," he said.
\nHowever, he could not give the precise number of TB sufferers in
\nthe city.<\/p>\n
According to Tjandra, who is the former chairman of the
\nIndonesian Pulmonologist Association (PDPI), most of his patients
\ncame from the middle and middle-lower economic background. "But
\nthere are also entrepreneurs and flight attendants among them,"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
A TB sufferer should be under constant medication for between
\nsix and nine months, and should take about four different types
\nof medication during that period.<\/p>\n
"The medicines taste terrible and most patients usually stop
\ntaking their drugs the moment they feel better. But such behavior
\nis not recommended, because it will leave stronger and more
\nresistant bacteria in the body," said Wia.<\/p>\n
"If such bacteria should infect someone else, the next
\nsufferer might risk an attack by incurable TB for the rest of
\ntheir lives," she said.<\/p>\n
According to Tjandra, three among every 1,000 people on
\naverage in Indonesia are infected with TB. "The government can
\nonly reach about 20 percent of TB sufferers in this country, but
\nabout 85 percent of them are cured," he said.<\/p>\n
Minister of Health Achmad Suyudi told the Post earlier that
\nthe government was targeting to reach 50 percent of TB sufferers
\nby 2005.<\/p>\n
Symptoms of TB infection: (1) Chronic cough for over three weeks,
\n(2) Nighttime fever and cold sweat, (3) Constant malaise, (4) Loss of
\nappetite, (5) Reduced body weight, (6) Chest pains, (7) Coughing up
\nblood.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/jakarta-high-risk-zone-for-tb-disease-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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