THE extreme drug resistant tuberculosis spreading to the general population of KwaZulu-Natal is a real threata as the crippling public servants strike enters its third week.
The KwaZulu-Natal head of department, Sibongile Zungu, pictured, said yesterday that the fatal multidrug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) and extreme drug resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) were already at crisis proportions in the province that treats 120000 TB patients.
Zungu urged patients on chronic medication to continue collecting their medication from hospitals and clinics despite the strike that has brought most government services to a complete halt.
More than 400000 patients take life-saving antiretrovirals in the province.
"When TB patients go without their medication, we risk spreading MDR-TB and XDR-TB to the general population.
"Those on ARVs must take their medications on a daily basis and if they miss a single day on the life-long treatment they put their progress ten steps backwards. Other patients receiving diabetic, hypertension or psychiatric treatment might develop serious complications such as coma and stroke if they default from such treatment programmes," Zungu said.
She said the threats of treatment failure and the development of widespread TB and ARV resistance were "enormous" if their supply was interrupted because of the strike.
"We urge the public to go to their respective facilities and get their medicines," Zungu said.
Strike intensifies threat of fatal drug-resistant TB
THE extreme drug resistant tuberculosis spreading to the general population of KwaZulu-Natal is a real threata as the crippling public servants strike enters its third week.
The KwaZulu-Natal head of department, Sibongile Zungu, pictured, said yesterday that the fatal multidrug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) and extreme drug resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) were already at crisis proportions in the province that treats 120000 TB patients.
Zungu urged patients on chronic medication to continue collecting their medication from hospitals and clinics despite the strike that has brought most government services to a complete halt.
More than 400000 patients take life-saving antiretrovirals in the province.
"When TB patients go without their medication, we risk spreading MDR-TB and XDR-TB to the general population.
"Those on ARVs must take their medications on a daily basis and if they miss a single day on the life-long treatment they put their progress ten steps backwards. Other patients receiving diabetic, hypertension or psychiatric treatment might develop serious complications such as coma and stroke if they default from such treatment programmes," Zungu said.
She said the threats of treatment failure and the development of widespread TB and ARV resistance were "enormous" if their supply was interrupted because of the strike.
"We urge the public to go to their respective facilities and get their medicines," Zungu said.
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