‘TB not caused by black magic, seek preventive treatment at health clinic’

SIBU: The local myth that tuberculosis (TB) is part of black magic, a hereditary disease or genetic disorder are among the challenges faced by the health authorities to eliminate the disease, said Dr Fabiolla Lea.

The head of the TB control programme/leprosy unit of Sibu Divisional Health Office said Malaysia recorded an alarming rate of between 1,500 and 2,000 lives lost, or an average of six deaths daily, due to TB.

“The number of infections and deaths increase every year and the ancient disease remains very difficult to eliminate,” she said in an online public dialogue session held in conjunction with Sibu Divisional Health Office’s World TB Day celebration on Tuesday.

“In this modern age, there are a few, although not many who still associate TB symptoms with black magic.

In sharing this fact, she recalled a case where a TB patient in his 40s had gone missing after his first six months of TB preventive treatment, to seek traditional treatment in the Peninsular Malaysia.

“When he failed to show up for his appointment during the course of his treatment, we considered him as a defaulter so we went to look for him. We asked his family members but they did not know his whereabouts and we even sought police help to detect him.

“Eventually we found out from his closest friend that he (patient) had flown to the Peninsular Malaysia to seek traditional treatment as he thought that his fever, night sweats, loss of appetite, weight loss and bloody cough were all caused by black magic,” she said.

“The prolonged cough (sometimes with blood), fatigue, weight loss, fever and night sweats are among the common symptoms of TB, thus, anyone with the symptoms should get themselves screened at a health clinic immediately,” she stressed.

On TB being a hereditary disease or genetic disorder, Dr Fabiolla dispelled this misperception and explained that a child in a family may have been exposed to TB if he or she is a close contact to a person who is already infected.

“Because of this, people thought that the whole family contracts the disease because it is in their genetics.

“TB is an airborne disease – a contagious disease that spreads through the air. It is not passed down from parents to their children. TB is curable if detected early and will only cause fatality if it is left untreated.

“It is advisable for those who have been around with family members, friends or colleagues with TB disease, to also get screened for TB. Do not be ashamed or worried to get yourself tested if you are in the high risk group, and do not despair if your test result shows you are infected.

“Think positive because your chance of recovery is higher when you get treatment early rather than not getting checked at all,” she said.