By Martha Louis – EMTV News, Madang
Gaubin Rural Hospital on Karkar Island have confirmed that three of its TB patients at have developed resistance to TB drugs and are a threat to the hospital’s TB program.
Gaubin Rural Hospital Administrator, Yang Letag, said the patients are on treatment and are closely monitored. Letag said tuberculosis (TB) cases on Karkar Island is on the rise and the rural hospital is doing all it can to control it.
“We have high incidences of TB, and a high TB mortality rate,” stated the Hospital Administrator.
Gaubin Rural Hospital on Karkar Island sees between 200 to 300 TB patients annually, that’s at least 25 patients a month. The rural hospital with support from other clinics, is trying to address the high number of TB cases on Karkar Island.
Patients diagnosed with TB are put on treatment and are admitted at the TB wards for at least three weeks for medical officers to monitor. The TB patients are then discharged and sent home to continue their treatment for another two to three months. This is to make sure patients do not develop TB resistant and help prevent it from spreading.
The three patients with TB resistant are on treatment. However, the hospital is monitoring and are aware of the risk it poses on the island.
“This is a threat to our current TB program we have at the hospital, where government hospitals with collective efforts from the other facilities we must work together to contain this issue,” stated Yang Letag.
