Drinking tapai from common jar can spread TB
PENAMPANG: Drinking tapai (a popular local rice wine) in a common jar with a straw can increase the risk of getting tuberculosis (TB).
Penampang health officer Dina Marius pointed out that drinking from ‘tumpung’ would minimize the risk of transmission from any individual with TB infection that is not yet diagnosed.
‘Tumpung’ means the tapai is kept in a small container, such as a 1.5-litre mineral water bottle or a small jar.
Dina, who is also the Sabah Anti-Tuberculosis Association (Sabata) Penampang treasurer, revealed this when giving a talk on the importance and impact of TB on the community, its mode of spreading and transmission, diagnosis and intensive treatment.
Fifty-seven people were screened for TB during the program held at SK Moyog here on September 14.
The TB screening program, organised by Sabata Penampang, was conducted by Dr Amarbel and her four-member team from the mobile X-Ray TB screening service of the Sabah Health Department.
Organising chairperson Christine Anthony thanked the people of Kg Moyog for coming out to be screened for TB. Christine, who is also Sabata Penampang vice chairman, said more TB screening in the district would be conducted in the near future.
“We are trying to get the people, especially those in the villages, to get screened for TB at their ‘doorsteps’ for free, otherwise they would need to travel to the nearest hospital or have to pay when screened by private clinics,” she said.
Sabata Penampang chairman Dr Edwin Bosi said that TB is coming back based on the current upward trend of TB positives.
According to a report on Treatment Allowance Scheme (TAS) compiled by Sabata HQ, 25 TB clinics in Sabah have detected a total of 475 new TB positives in 2018. The Sabata headquarters report stated that there were 5,566 TB patients in Sabah from April 2017 to April 2018, of which 184 were in Penampang.
Bosi added: “TB is a curable disease and early detection will allow prompt treatment to commence and control its transmission and spread.”
Sabata Penampang’s health awareness program also involved the Lions Club of Penampang (Host) and Leo Club of SMK Bahang.
According to the club’s president, Lion Melvin Disimond, 40 people were checked for hypertension and sugar level. Eye test was also carried out during the program.