Dato Sri Michael Manyin
SERIAN: The recent rise in tuberculosis (TB) cases in Sarawak is a cause for concern, said Minister of Youth and Sports and Solidarity Dato Sri Michael Manyin Jawong.
Michael Manyin noticed that rural village folks were now among those exposed to TB, although it was almost non-existent in the state not too long ago.
He recalled the time he was minister of environment and public health almost 10 years ago when the state succeeded in controlling this infectious disease.
“TB cases were almost unheard of when I was minister in charge of public health. But now TB cases are coming back and on the rise.
“The good news is TB is curable and preventable if detected in the early stage,” he said when opening a health campaign jointly organised by Klinik Kesihatan Tebakang’s panel of advisors and Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry (KPDNKK) in conjunction with the coming World TB Day at Awah Gawai, Kampung Pichin yesterday.
He believed the rise in TB cases could be due to the presence of foreign nationals from neighbouring countries in the state, but that the spread could be controlled if correct measures were taken and prompt medical attention sought by those with suspected symptoms.
Serian and Samarahan Family Health Specialist Dr Muhd Irfan Yasin who spoke earlier also noticed that TB cases were on the rise in Malaysia including Sarawak.
He revealed that a lot of TB cases were reported late at clinics. As such, he hoped health campaigns such as this one would enable the health authorities to do screening and detect the cases so they can come up with preventive measures.
It was reported in The Borneo Post on Wednesday that the state Health Department had detected several TB cases in a government statutory body and a skills training institution in Kuching.
State health director Datu Dr Zulkifli Jantan was quoted as saying that the total number of cases reported in Sarawak as of May 14 this year was 900 from 897 cases in the same period last year.
Manyin who was recently re-elected Tebedu assemblyman said two common non-communicable diseases affecting rural folks were diabetes and high blood pressure caused by modern lifestyle and unbalanced diet.
He advised them to seek medical consultation and go for health screening, especially during health campaigns or camps in their villages.
“In the past, the people toiled in the fields and farms, and ate simple meals. You did not hear them suffering from health problems we often hear about today.
“Now we tend to eat more meat and our lifestyle has changed. That is why we need to undergo regular medical checkups and health screening,” he said.
Present were Serian health officer Dr Nurul Fatiha Azman and Temenggung Henry Bujang Sadok.