An increasing number of people are being diagnosed with tuberculosis in the coastal district of Feni each year.
Many of the patients have died over the last few years because of their reluctance to comply with a long-term treatment regimen, according to the district health department.
In the first six months of 2013, over a thousand people have already been diagnosed with tuberculosis, commonly known as TB, while 1,399 patients were identified in 2011 and 1,491 patients in 2010.
The information was announced by health department officials at a workshop, jointly organized by the department and Brac.
Organizers of the workshop, however, did not disclose the number of fatalities caused by the disease.
Brac officials said patients suffering from TB died because of their unwillingness to receive long-term treatment.
A good number of people in Feni are permanent residents of the coastal areas, which remain moist most of the year, sources at the district civil surgeon office said, adding that “cold environment provides congenial environment for the breakout of the disease.”
The district has 174 centres where cough is collected and 11 peripheral laboratories where the cough is tested to diagnose the disease. Besides, a total of 81 Brac workers are providing treatment to 877 TB patients at present.
Feni district civil surgeon Dr Jakir Hossain said, although the treatment of TB is a long-term process, the disease can be cured if patients take their medicine timely and properly.
Tuberculosis is a contagious disease, spreading through air from one person to another. TB germs spread when infected people cough, sneeze or spit.