Number of TB-infected people expected to swell
Number of TB-infected people expected to swell
JAKARTA (JP): The official number of 40,000 tuberculosis-
infected Jakartans is expected to rise sharply due to a hike in
medication costs combined with an absence of community awareness
to combat the disease, an expert has said.
Hadiarto Mangunnegoro, deputy chairman of the Indonesian
Association of Tuberculosis Eradication, urged the city
administration on Friday to promote its free tuberculosis (TB)
medical treatment. He suggested that a massive public campaign
could be sponsored by organizations such as the World Health
Organization.
"I think most people in the capital still lack information
about the (free treatment) scheme," he said after meeting
Governor Sutiyoso at City Hall to discuss the association's
commemorative activities for World Tuberculosis Day on March 27.
According to Hadiarto, the price of medication for TB
sufferers has doubled, and in some cases, even tripled. The
prohibitive cost of treatment has reduced the likelihood of
managing the disease.
Embarrassment -- due to their status as TB sufferers -- also
prevented many from seeking medical treatment, he said.
"Last year alone, only 2,000 to 3,000 people applied for free
medicine at city-owned clinics," Hadiarto said.
He emphasized that "only a portion" of the 40,000 TB sufferers
could be categorized as noninfectious carriers.
"If they are not properly treated for a long time, it's
possible that these sufferers could also be dangerous to other
people as they can spread the disease easily," Hadiarto said.
According to the head of the Ministry of Health's Jakarta
office, Deddy Ruswendi, TB-prone areas in the capital are
concentrated around the city's slums, including Tanah Tinggi in
Central Jakarta, Penjaringan and Pademangan in North Jakarta,
Kembangan in West Jakarta, Pondok Pinang in South Jakarta and
Kebon Pala in East Jakarta.
"These areas have been overcrowded with housing units that
have absolutely no adequate ventilation or floors," he said,
referring to the houses built directly on the ground.
Deddy said that most TB-infected people were reluctant to
undergo the six-month treatment required to fight the disease.
"Usually, after one month of taking the pills, the cough
disappear. At this point many of them assume they are well and
stop taking their medicine," he said.
"Once the symptoms reappear, resuming medication is useless
because the body develops immunity to the pills," he explained.
Nationally, it is estimated that there are 600,000 TB
sufferers.
"Some 175,000 of that number are dying," Deddy said.
He said that the disease was extremely contagious; a TB
carrier could easily transmit it to at least 10 people, simply by
talking with or coughing around them. (ind/ylt)