Two-week cough prime tuberculosis symptom: experts

1009

RANGPUR, Aug 16, 2018 (BSS) – Health experts at a meeting today
identified more than two weeklong continuous cough as the prime symptom for
tuberculosis infection suggesting for immediately conducting cough test in
such cases.

They said this at the views-sharing meeting organised by National Anti-
Tuberculosis Association of Bangladesh (NATAB) on ‘Role of Civil Society
Members in Launching Social Movement to Prevent Tuberculosis’ at a local
hotel in the city.

Rangpur unit President of NATAB Shah Md Nabiullah presided over the
meeting participated by 30 senior civil society members and professionals
from all over the district.

Additional Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) Rashidul Monnaf Kabir addressed
the meeting as the chief guest.

Vice-president of Rangpur unit of NATAB Abdur Rahman Babu, social
activist Anwar Hossain, among others, addressed.

Medical Officer of Rangpur Civil Surgeon Office and tuberculosis
specialist Dr Pankoj Mohanato delivered keynote presentation as the resource
person.

In his keynote presentation, Dr Mohanato narrated the reasons behind
tuberculosis infection, its prevention, treatment process and available cost-
free treatment facilities throughout the country.

He discussed on the major symptoms of tuberculosis infection, multi drug
resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB), extremely drug resistant tuberculosis (XDR-
TB) and functioning of GeneXpert machine in diagnosing drug resistant
tuberculosis.

He narrated about micro-bacterial tuberculosis (MTB), anti- tuberculosis
drug refampicin and examination process of sputum of suspected patients using
computerised GeneXpert machine available at Tazhat Chest Disease Hospital
laboratory in Rangpur.

He urged the participants for creating social awareness on the necessity
of quick cough test, preventive vaccines and full course intake of essential
medicines to eradicate the curable disease of tuberculosis.

Shah Md Nabiullah discussed the latest government strategies for
controlling tuberculosis and stressed on creating social awareness to
accelerate detection of tuberculosis patients to bring them under cost-free
treatments facilities.

The chief guest called upon the civil society members to motivate
tuberculosis patients to complete the treatment dose without intervals
adopting the Direct Observe Treatment Short Course methods and medicines to
free the country from the curable disease.