Detection rate of Tuberculosis stands at 70% - O’Connor

The Assistant Health Minister says despite diagnosing and treating over 350 Tuberculosis cases every year, our case detection rate stands at 70 percent.

While launching the fourth edition of the Fiji Tuberculosis manual, Alexander O’Connor says the new manual contains emerging issues in TB control and elimination including TB-HIV and TB-Diabetes co-infections, Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis and how to effectively respond to patients needs before and after natural or human caused disasters.

He says the manual provides guidance to the programme on how to track and treat these missed cases using proven strategies like contact tracing and active screening by working together with Primary Health Care and Private Health Care providers.

The Minister has also challenged everyone to learn more about Tuberculosis saying people should know about the signs and symptoms of TB such as coughing for more than two weeks and unexplained weight loss and fever.