Health workers in Lae have raised concerns regarding a relatively high number of patients with multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (TB) who have defaulted from treatment.
It is understood, out of 38 tuberculosis patients that have defaulted treatment, 29 of them live in Lae and carry the multi-drug resistant strain of the disease.
A health officer, who wished to remain anonymous, told EMTV News that health authorities were given the information but have not taken serious steps to resolve the potential spread.
Meanwhile Provincial Health Advisor, Micah Yawing, says there are procedures in place to treat the disease.
“The patients will need to be committed to their treatments.
“The Provincial Administration is providing the drugs to health centres to help combat the tuberculosis,” says Yawing.
When a patient defaults tuberculosis treatment, the chances of recovery become slim, and more people are at risk of catching the disease.
A medical officer treating TB patients at a clinic in Lae City has told EMTV that 38 TB patients defaulted multi-drug resistant TB treatment. 29 of them live in Lae City.
The health worker says provincial and district health authorities are not showing care to reports submitted by TB outpatients.
It is a rather serious concern that Lae City has 29 TB patients carrying the multi-drug resistant strain, with immediate action needed to contain the spread of infection.
The 29 patients would already have come in contact with people all around Lae’s heavily populated urban boundaries.
