Association wants TB eradicated in Penampang
PENAMPANG: Sabah AntiTuberculosis Association (Sabata) Penampang Branch chairman Sylvester Spiji wants to see that Tuberculosis (TB) is eradicated from Penampang.
He said this when he launched the Sabata’s rural health awareness program at Kg Moyog Penampang on November 18. The program involved a talk on TB, and health screening for diabetes and blood pressure check.
The past president of Sabata Central, Henry Mogindol gave a brief overview of TB to the some 56 villagers who attended the program.
He informed them that TB cases detected from January to May 2017 was 1,875 while for the same period last year the figure was 1,984.
The number of cases for Penampang for the fifth-month period was 79 for 2016 and 63 for 2017, he said, adding that while there was a decline in the number of TB cases in Penampang this figure can change quickly as there were many undetected cases out there.
Meanwhile, Kapayan assemblyman Dr Edwin Bosi, who is a committee member of Sabata Penampang Branch, gave a talk on TB.
He reminded the villagers that TB is a quiet disease and if not detected the person can die within two years.
“The symptoms are basically persistence coughing including bloody sputum, loss of weight and appetite and chest pain,” he said.
Bosi further informed them that coughing is the fastest mode of transmission. However, the sharing of drinking cups and even straw for drinking ‘tapai’ can effect transmission of the TB organism.
Sylvester urged the people not be worried or shy about TB as this disease affects everyone irrespective of social status. “Because it is a quiet disease it is important that everyone must have a TB test or check up. The test can be by direct detection of the organism in the sputum, by intradermal skin test and chest X-ray.”
Sylvester informed the people that TB is a treatable disease involving combination of antibiotics tablets taken daily for six months without fail.
He added that Sabata would assist the patient through providing some allowance for travel to the clinic or hospital for review and to collect their medicine. Sabata also provides free lodging for those who come from far away.
Sabata Penampang Branch later gave away a five-kg rice pack each to all those who attended the program.
A lucky draw was also held where the lucky villagers took home extra bag of a five-kg rice. All the rice was donated by Sabata members and friends.
Also present at the awareness program were the village chief for Kg Moyog John Ginsos, deputy chairman of Sabata Penampang Branch Franky Lobinjang, secretary of Sabata Penampang Branch Venitha Lojuti and members Joseph Jominol and Ailin Sua.