Thousands suffer from TB

PADANG, West Sumatra: A total of 1,451, or 37 percent, of patients at hospitals and health centers in Western Sumatra in the past year have been found to be suffering from tuberculosis (TB), an official says.

Head of the Ministry of Health's provincial office Dr. Firdaus Bahauddin said yesterday the figure was lower than that recorded in the previous year, when 40 percent of health service consumers were found to be suffering from TB.

Of the 14 regencies in the province, Pesisir Selatan has the most TB patients, followed by Agam, Sawah Lunto-Sijunjung and Padang. Firdaus did not give detailed statistics for each regency.

Firdaus lamented the high number of TB patients dropping out of treatment. "This disease needs lengthy treatment, and most people became impatient and refused to take regular medication," he said. (01/swe)