In the detection of TB, 94 percent success achieved in the southern coastal island district Bhola within four years of the program starts. Common people of this district are much aware of TB despite their struggle against poverty, hunger and river erosion. Yanur Begum, a housewife of South Charanabad village under Bhola Sadar upazila, couldn’t stay rest for a couple of minutes from coughing before five months. Observing this suffering her mother in law (husband’s maternal aunt) suggested her for the first time for sputum test. According to that suggestion she examined her sputum in assistance of a health volunteer of BRAC. After detection of her TB, Yanur has been taking drugs for the last five moths. Now she is almost cured. She dwells in a worn out hut with her three sons and a daughter. Pit water beside her hut smells bad. Even daylight doesn’t enter to her low hut. Her husband is a postman who earns four thousand taka per month. By this only income she has to strive for maintaining her family including house rent. Yanur couldn’t ever get her treatment for TB if it wasn’t free of cost. She knows TB is cured by regular treatment/medication. Thus she did never forget to take drugs regularly from the house of health volunteers.

Minara Begum of Sathia village under Alinagar union of Sadar upazila works in a garment factory at Dhaka. She had been living a happy life with her two children and husband who is an auto-rickshaw driver. She stays for four months at home. Now she is taking TB drugs from health volunteers of BRAC. Minara’s father Khorshed Alam mentioned that he was also affected with TB in 1997 while he was staying at Dhaka. He got cured by taking medication for nine months from the physicians of PG Hospital (presently BSMMU). To ensure regular medication he brought her daughter to him. He also mentioned that the treatment facilities of TB in 10 years ago, when he got TB, wasn’t not as available as present. He had to take medicines for twenty two thousand taka buying from the pharmacy. But now this treatment is available free of cost. He couldn’t even deposit the security money for his daughter’s treatment. But it didn’t stop her treatment.

Tapan Biswas, comes from Barisal works sometimes as a rickshaw puller or sometimes as a painter. He has been staying at Bhola the last ten years for his livelihood. He knows of this disease. He learnt from television advertisement that TB is curable. He said that there’s nothing to be frightened of a TB patient rather of the disease. All of us should co-operate the patient.

Md. Saiful works as a cabin boy of launch at Bhola. Most of the times, he has to stay on the rivers. He didn’t ever meet a TB patient. But he said TB treatment facilities are available at government hospitals and clinics.

Bibi Julekha, a health volunteer of BRAC at Sathia village under Bhola Sadar, informed that at present she has one TB patient whom she gives regular medication. She mentions, as the treatment of TB is long term some one has to have close follow-ups and give TB drugs/medication to the patients over the whole course of treatment. Before this, she has given medication to three TB patients. They are cured now. Bibi Hajera, an inhabitant of South Charanabad village has been working in BRAC as a health volunteer. Till now she has cured three TB Patients. Now she gives TB drugs to one patient. She says, if symptoms of TB are seen among any person of the village, is brought under TB treatment through sputum test. Dr. Abdur Rashid, the Civil Surgeon of Bhola said that the National TB Control Program was started first in 2003 in Bhola. Bhola achieved highest progress in the detection of TB in Barisal division among others.

The rate of TB detection in Bhola in 2006 was 94 percent. It was 74%, 24% and 14% during the year 2005, 2004 and 2003 respectively. He opined that the fact behind this progressive success was because of the unique role of Health Workers and health volunteers. In Bhola, all Government Health Workers are given instructions that, at least, one TB patient has to be identified in every month. And, this special technique made this success possible in Bhola.

People – including housewives, rickshaw pullers, dock workers, development workers all knows TB is curable and its treatment is freely available. This awareness played significant role in the detection of TB. Mr. Mustafizur Rahman, Regional Coordinator of the Health Program of BRAC informed that there are 48 Health Workers and 1278 Health Volunteers of BRAC and 287 government Health Workers working for about 2 million population of the Bhola district. They are working village to village to raise health awareness everyday. He told most of the TB patients in Bhola are detected by these governmental and non-governmental Health Workers and Health Volunteers. They play their supportive roles at all levels from the sputum test to the accomplishment of the treatment of a TB patient simultaneously with raising awareness through village to village information dissemination on TB.

The Daily Samokal
29 August 2007
Translated by: Md. Mahbubul Ashraf