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Joint efforts to combat tuberculosis

Tuberculosis (TB) is returning with a vengeance and has become the leading infective cause of death in youth and adults throughout the world, Secretary for Health and Welfare, Mrs Katherine Fok, said today (Sunday).

Speaking at the ceremony of World TB Day, Mrs Katherine Fok said over the years, global improvements in living conditions and advances in medical science had led to a significant improvement in the world TB situation.

However, she said, this apparent success had diverted attention and led to complacency.

She said this global resurgence of the disease had been made even worse by HIV-related TB infection.

"Another cause for our concern is the emergence of potentially incurable drug- resistant TB bacteria as a result of inappropriate or inadequate treatment of the disease. These bacteria are now common in many developed as well as developing countries," she said.

In view of the deteriorating world-wide situation, said Mrs Fok, WHO has called for international collaboration in the fight against this important disease.

She pointed out that the key to successful treatment lay in ensuring that the patient completed the entire course of anti-TB treatment.

She noted that Hong Kong has adopted the DOTS (directly observed treatment, short course) treatment since 1970's to assess patients in the process of treatment and a continuous downward trend of TB in Hong Kong had been achieved.

"Under DOTS, health workers supervise their patients while they take their medicines. This ensures that the right medicines are always taken at the right time.

"By using DOTS, TB patients are not only supervised in their treatment but are also provided with the necessary reinforcement and motivation in achieving a cure." she added.