'TB more fatal than COVID-19'

CORTES, Bohol Aug. 19 (PIA) –- The corona virus disease (COVID-19) may have caused the deaths of many Filipinos, but this is far below the number of deaths caused by tuberculosis (TB).

This sums up the discussion of the Kapihan sa PIA which tackled the Provincial TB program. 

Like the dreaded COVID-19, TB is highly contagious and may infect anyone.

Similar to COVID-19 which needs a sophisticated medical laboratory analysis to confirm the virus’ presence, it would take a good X-ray and sputum examination in a laboratory to confirm the presence of the mycobacterium causing the disease.

The TB bacteria can be airborne and could infect individuals who are in close proximity to the sick person.

Unlike COVID-19 which can manifest within 14 days, it may take years before a latent tuberculosis can be manifested in a person.

There is already an established treatment against TB, but not everyone is keen in getting the free treatment. 

Like COVID-19, one can protect itself from TB by wearing face masks and by keeping a safe distance to avoid droplets transmitted through coughing or sneezing.

TB is among the leading causes of disease and deaths in the country, bared Department of Health (DOH) nurse Arnold Bongcac Jr. who is assigned at the Provincial Health Office here during the recent Kapihan sa PIA aired over DyTR and 92.7 Bee FM.

Bongcac said TB and pneumonia rank 5th and 3rd, respectively, among the country’s top diseases causing morbidity and mortality.

Records from the Gallares Hospital show that several of those people treated relative to COVID-19 in Bohol have shown lung infections, telltale signs of the bacterial infection, said Bohol TB Program coordinator and nurse Polizena Rances during the same Kapihan.

"Last year, we had 7,528 cases of tuberculosis but so far, there are only about 3,061 of these cases with the patient coming out for the free treatment," bared Bongcac.

This also means that there at 4,467 individuals with TB who are freely going around with the capacity to infect anyone they come in contact with. 

Most of these people may not know they already are bacteria carriers, but having cough for more than a couple of days should be a good warning sign, said Rances.

She added that TB can be treated for free, and it would take is six months of diligently taking the programmatic approach therapy.

Once treatment starts, the patient would stop spreading the bacteria, said Rances who heads the Provincial TB Program in line with the National TB program.

Still struggling with a 40.66 percent case detection rate for TB, the Provincial Program coordinator bared that there are free mass screenings and diagnostic sputum microscopy that the public can avail of. 

Still battling with beating TB as with the misconceptions people have against the disease, the public health nurse said there is a misplaced stigma that is keeping people with TB from coming out.

Families may hide their patient which leads to the likelihood that the patient can unwittingly transfer the bacteria and infect those who are not as cautious. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)

KEEPING ONE’S DISTANCE AND USING MASKS. Health authorities said one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of the bacteria is for everyone to wear mask and to keep their distance, the same measures implemented against COVID-19. (PIA Bohol)

TB AND PNEUMONIA. Both diseases are among the country's top five in morbidity and mortality, says nurse Arnold Bongcac Jr. of the Provincial Health Office. (PIA Bohol) 

SARI, BUT YOU GOT TB. Patients who are considered to be afflicted with Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) and brought to Bohol's dedicated COVID-19 hospitals are found out to have lung infections before getting the COVID-19 symptoms, says Bohol TB Program Coordinator nurse Polizena Rances during the Kapihan sa PIA. (PIA Bohol)