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CATHERINE W GICHUKI
DOHA
HAMAD Medical Corporation (HMC) receives about 500 cases of tuberculosis (TB) each year, an official has said.
Speaking to media persons on the sidelines of the opening of Communicable Disease Center, HMC Deputy Chief Medical Officer and Head of Infectious Diseases Dr Abdullatif al Khal said that TB is most prevalent among South Asian expatriate labourers as many countries of the region are 'endemic for the disease'.
He, however, added that the cases are lower among expatriate families and those who are stable residents of the country.
He added that the incidences are very low among Qataris."It is more like Western countries."
According to him, the cases are low because HMC has very strong TB control programme where even TB patients' contacts are screened."If we find somebody who is exposed, we give him preventive treatment. Last year, we screened 3400 such people who were exposed to TB and we administered preventive treatment to about 10 percent of them."
Talking about how TB patients are referred to them, Khal said,"TB, leprosy or other infections like HIV cases are referred from the Medical Commission or Preventative Medicine Department, Primary Health Care Corporation, Oil and Gas industry or the army or police clinics to us. Besides, some people who fear having got TB also come here to get examined."
