PORT MORESBY – Tuberculosis is rising rapidly in Western Province that the whole population is at risk while the cost to effectively bring the serious health issue under control keeps rising.
Health Minister Michael Malabag told Parliament on Thursday the number of cases was rising rapidly with Western Province now having the highest number of drug resistant TB in PNG and have sought Australian assistance to address the issue.
Mr Malabag said TB cases reached 234 by December 2014, with the three districts of South, North and Middle Fly seeing a double in TB notification rates since 2011.
“As of December 2014, 153 drug resistant TB patients are on second line anti-TB treatment in Western Province,” he said.
This number includes 11 extensively drug resistant TB cases.
Mr Malabag said drug resistant TB was a particularly dangerous form of the disease that was very difficult to treat as it was expensive.
“Treatment is expensive and present funding is inadequate,” Mr Malabag said.
He said a course of treatment for drug resistant TB is around K8,400 ($F6555) per patient but this rises up to K38,400 ($F29,000) per patient for extensively drug resistant TB.
“Rapidly rising infections means rapidly rising treatment costs,” he said.
Mr Malabag said traditional development partner Australia had announced an increased commitment which would bring their support to tuberculosis in Western Province to $A44.7million ($F71m) by 2016 and 2017.
Australia has also agreed to support the international recruitment of a chief executive officer for Daru hospital which has been approved by Department of Personnel Management and which is in progress.
Mr Malabag said an enhanced tuberculosis emergency response would be finalised today, and would be presented to Cabinet.
