Paulina Quintao – Tuberculosis is on the rise in Timor-Leste with new patients registered every day, says Bairo-Pite clinic director Dr Daniel Murphy.

Dr Dan said people needed to be made aware of the risk factors for tuberculosis and called for a strategy to arrest the disease's spread. About 400 patients test positive for tuberculosis in Timor-Leste each year.

Dr Dan said Bairo-Pite clinic treated tuberculosis patients in accordance with World Health Organization protocol. Medicines were in good supply as they are provided by a global fund administered through the Ministry of Health.

Motael Clinic manager Jacinto dos Reis Alves said the Ministry of Health was working with local and international partners to treat tuberculosis patients in all 13 districts.

Alves said the infectious disease had a long recuperation time, with children needing six months to recover while adults are often sick for more than eight months.

Forty patients were being treated for tuberculosis while some have recovered, he said. He said the Motael Clinic was able to treat patients free of charge as the medicines were supplied by the Ministry of Health.

Source: http://www.thediliweekly.com/en/news/news/12786-tuberculosis-on-the-rise