KUCHING: A total of 107 cases of tuberculosis (TB) were detected this week in Kuching Division, said Kuching health officer Dr Eunice Melissa Joseph.
She said from the total, 858 contacts had been identified. “Various efforts have been made and are being implemented by the Kuching Divisional Health Office in preventing and controlling TB.”
“Among them is to investigate confirmed cases of tuberculosis for the purpose of contact detection and then they will receive treatment and health screening will be done at clinics around Kuching,” she said during the launch of World Tuberculosis Day at Klinik Kesihatan Jalan Masjid here, on Friday (March 25).
Dr Eunice said they had also held many TB screening activities in the field.
“This screening programme will be done in areas with two or more registered TB cases. Cases that are successfully detected through this programme will receive further treatment and this effort will help to prevent the spread of TB in the community.
“So far we have screened four localities, namely RPR Batu Kawa, SPS Batu Kawa, Kampung Bumbok and Kampung Jawa Semenggok involving a total of 1380 residents.”
She said that Kuching Divisional Health Office had also worked closely with the Anti Tuberculosis Association Sarawak or ATAS to carry out awareness campaign activities.
Meanwhile, in conjunction with the celebration, Dr Eunice said they had also organised Kuching World TB Day 2022 Virtual Run through the BookDoc application for the first time.
“This challenge will last for a month from March 1 to 31. The objective of this challenge is to promote awareness about TB. Congratulations to the organisers because I was informed that we have a total of 2,944 participants.
“I therefore suggest that the virtual running challenge approach be continued for other health celebrations.”
