City Health Office leads fight against TB

As part of TB Day celebration, the City Health Office (CHO) together with the Center for Health and Development (CHD) Caraga successfully conducted a forum entitled “On the move against Tuberculosis” on March 31, 2011 at the City Cultural Center this city.

During the forum, Pulmonologist Dr. Josefina Lagunzad said TB is the 6th leading cause of morbidity in our country next to hypertension. “That is why our government implemented the National Tuberculosis Control Program through DOTS.”

DOTS or Directly Observed Treatment, Short Course, according to Lagunzad is the World Health Organization-prescribed strategy for ensuring proper diagnosis and cure of TB.

Lagunzad, further explained that under DOTS, patients are required to go to the health center where they take daily dose of anti-TB medicines for free, in full view of authorized personnel. If a patient is unable to visit the health center, a health center volunteer or a barangay volunteer called “treatment partner” visits him or her to personally oversee the observance of the treatment regimen, which usually goes on from six to eight months.

The symptoms of TB disease include cough that does not go away for two weeks, coughing up blood, prolonged fever, night or afternoon sweats, constant tiredness, weight loss and lack of appetite. She added.

Meanwhile, City Legal officer Atty. Manuel Corro, in behalf of City Mayor Ernesto Matugas, successfully inducted the new sets of officers of “Adto Sa Center OK-Lung Club.” (PIA-Surigao del Norte)

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