…. as Health Ministry continues to vigorously pursue all TB reports
A team from the Ministry of Health will arrive in Tobago Hill, Region One on Thursday to further investigate the general public health status of the area following reports of an alleged outbreak of Tuberculosis (TB). Minister within the Ministry of Health, Dr. Bheri Ramsaran, told the Government Information Agency (GINA) yesterday that the ministry already has a robust

programme in Region One, particularly Mabaruma and Tobago Hill, to address any threat of TB.
Cognizant of the fact that TB is a deadly disease, the Ministry has already taken all the necessary measures to address the fear that was driven into residents of Tobago Hill with the allegation of an outbreak of the disease.

He said that several health personnel from the Mabaruma Regional Hospital, including one Directly Observed Treatment Short course (DOTS) officer and a trained microscopist are already in the area collecting sputum samples from residents. 

Further, Minister Ramsaran said that the efforts made by the team from the Mabaruma Regional Hospital will be further complemented with the arrival of the other team.

“After the team from Georgetown would have spent three to four days in the area, another team of officials from the Ministry, including Coordinator of the TB programme, Dr. Jeetendra Mohanlall, and Director of Regional Health Services, Dr Narine Singh, will be going to the area to analyse the work done by the previous teams and to further assess the medical needs of the
community,” Minister Ramsaran said.   

“The article has fanned unfounded fear in the community, causing residents to panic,” Minister Ramsaran said. He was referring to an article in one of the dailies on the alleged outbreak.
Minister Ramsaran said that contrary to the article, the Ministry has been monitoring 13 persons, four of whom are from Tobago Hill and nine from Mabaruma, who were suffering from TB and had returned to their respective communities after several weeks of responsive treatment with anti-tuberculosis drugs, and are no longer infectious.

“Those are patients who had adequate treatment and have responded positively after being treated with the internally recommended anti-tuberculosis drugs,” Minister Ramsaran said.

He said that the DOTS workers in the area, on a daily basis, would visit TB patients in their homes to administer medication. 

A second resident doctor will be allocated to the Mabaruma hospital, Cuban-trained Dr. Nigel Longhorn.
The Minister said that Tobago Hill has attracted the attention of the administration for some time now, following a previous analysis of the area in January. 

The analysis had no indication of any outbreak of TB, but other public health concerns were aggressively addressed, following a collaborated effort among the Ministries of Amerindian Affairs, Health and a Canadian humanitarian organisation.
The diarrhoeal diseases that were found were as a result of the improper disposal of human waste, but were quickly addressed as several sanitary blocks were constructed in the community.

At present, he said the Ministries of Amerindian Affairs and Health are working with a team in the Region to construct more sanitary blocks in the area. (GINA)