TB treatment program a success in E. Timor

TB treatment program a success in E. Timor

JAKARTA (JP): Two non-governmental organizations announced
their success in combating tuberculosis among children in East
Timor through a new strategy known as DOTS.

The "Directly Observed Treatment, Short Course" is used by the
Christian Children's Fund and the Indonesian Children's
Foundation to ensure that over 500 small patients take their
medicines regularly and until they are cured.

In a press release, the Children's Fund spokesperson Tetty
Herawati said Saturday that 557 children had been assisted; 553
followed the strategy regularly, and 207 children were now
already cured and in good health. The remaining 343 were still in
the program.

Three children failed to complete the program as they moved to
another village without notifying their health care workers.

March 24 is World TB Day.

Tetty said DOTS ensured that parents and other family members
observed the affected child take a combination of four
medications for six to eight months.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said in a statement that
DOTS made use of trained health care professionals as well as
volunteers -- including shopkeepers, teachers and former
tuberculosis patients -- in observing patients take their
medication.

The strategy helps check the further spread of tuberculosis
and reduces the threat of multidrug-resistant strains, which is
100 times more costly to treat and very difficult to cure.

Director of the WHO Global TB Program Dr. Arata Kochi said the
results of DOTS field tests in several dozen countries showed
that the strategy was applicable everywhere, with cure rates
reaching 85 percent and more.

DOTS has been tested over the past few years in Tanzania, New
York, the United States, Indonesia and Peru with impressive
initial results, Kochi said.

The strategy is cost-effective with estimates of US$100 for
every patient, an amount which can be broken to a very affordable
rate of 10 US cents per capita in developing countries. (01)