The following is a letter to the Today newspaper which was rejected for publication by the paper.

See Leong Kit

I refer to  Overuse of antibiotics leads to the rise of drug-resistant TB in China and  Superbug-gene found in New Delhi water raises fear of global spread in your  TODAY April 8 edition.

Once thought eradicated, tuberculosis has made a worldwide comeback with the worrying emergence of  Multidrug-Resitant Tuberculosis (MDR-TB) and  Extensively Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis (XDR-TB), both of which are very difficult to treat.

The World Health Organisation has indicated that China, India, Indonesia, Philippines and Vietnam to be hotbeds of TB infection.  The majority of our immigrants and migrant workers come from these countries.

Our Health Ministry’s statistics showed that around 1,500 new cases of TB each year were detected among Singaporeans and permanent residents.  Foreigners account for another 550 new cases each year.

Even more worrying is the increasing number of TB patients here who fail to complete their treatment.  This will lead to further spread of TB and the rise of drug-resistant strains of the TB bacteria.

TB is a highly contagious airborne disease that can be easily contracted in crowded places such as schools, universities, army camps, offices, buses and trains.

While TB affects mostly the lungs, it can spread to other organs such as the brain, heart, bones and even the womb of female victims.

No longer a disease confined to the elderly, TB is now afflicting younger Singaporeans, such as a 21-year old National Serviceman, a 30-year old teacher and a 40-year old managing director.

Amongst last year’s new cases, there were 153 Singapore-born TB victims under the age of 30, of which 12 victims were under 9 years of age.

The writing is on the wall.  In 2005, our public were mostly unaware of the following two TB incidents in our schools.

In one case, a primary school teacher with a persistent cough was diagnosed with TB.

Of the at-risk 38 students and 12 teachers sent for TB screening, five students and three teachers were found to have picked up her TB infection.

In the other case, a Chinese national secondary student was found to have TB.  Of the 70 students and 10 teachers screened, five were found to have been infected with TB.

As a tiny densely-populated island with hot humid climate, Singapore is particularly vulnerable to the spread of infectious diseases, such as TB, SARS, H1N1, Bird Flu.

Our fight against public health threats must lie in constant vigilance, coupled with a transparent approach and pro-active preventive measures.

There is no room for the type of complacency and too-late reactive measures that we have seen in the Mas Selamat escape debacle.

Concerned Singaporeans certainly expect our Health Ministry to issue a timely and credible public assurance on such important public health issues.

Subscribe
Notify of
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
You May Also Like

HSA: Five cosmetic creams found to contain potent undeclared ingredients and very high levels of mercury

The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) is alerting members of the public not…

【冠状病毒19】本月中起 更多学校课外活动将逐步恢复

教育部宣布,本月中开始将会逐步恢复学校更多课外辅助活动。 当局发文告指出,中学、大学先修班和励仁高级中学自今年7月27日起,已经逐渐恢复限定的课外活动和校内活动,而小学也在9月14日开始恢复类似的活动。 而随着国家侦察和追踪冠状病毒19确诊病例的能力提升,而且学校拥有有效的安全管理措施,因此教育部将通过适当的措施,分阶段恢复各种校内课外辅助活动。 在年终考试过后的本月中,校方可在恢复管乐活动、戏剧和演出活动;到校外指定地点举行活动,包括学习之旅、安全游泳课程、教育部户外探险中心活动等;跨学校活动,如课程辅助活动策略伙伴计划和竞赛。 而明年开始,恢复的活动包括了青年节和全国校际运动会,以及在教育部户外探险中心,由外展训练中心或其他业者所举办的活动。 教育部也放宽了活动参与人数,从原本的20人增至50人。 然而活动进行期间,参与体育活动的学生因无法戴口罩,安全距离必须保持在两米,而其他学生只见也必须保持一米距离。 在无法保持安全距离的活动中,主办方或校方必须将学生分成五人一组,每组保持一米的安全距离。若活动中,学生无法戴上口罩,安全距离则必须维持在至少三米,各组之间的互动和交流要减少或避免。

Travel vblogger Nas Daily to relocate to Singapore with girlfriend

Famous travel vblogger Nuseir Yassin, better known as the founder of Nas…

骑乘未注册电动滑板车 陆交局7月起取缔

从2019年7月1日开始,民众不可乘坐或允许他人,使用未经注册的电动滑板车上路。 我国陆路交通管理局(LTA)于昨日(20日)的一份新闻发布会上强调,初犯者可被罚款最高2000元或监禁不超过三个月。 陆交局还提醒零售商,不要销售非UL2272标准的个人代步工具(PMD)。初犯者可被罚款最高5000元或监禁不超过三个月。 陆交局也表明,从2019年7月1日起,就不会再接受非UL2272标准的个人代步工具注册/转让。 当局提升反馈管道 当局还感谢公众对热点位置的提供,这有助于执法单位取缔非法的个人代步工具持有者。若发现有不负责行为的骑士,民众也可提出投诉意见。 为了让公众成员更轻易且方便地拍摄相关回馈或投诉的照片或视频,或直接向当局进行反馈,以促进更有针对性和有效的执法,陆交局目前正努力改进其应用程序 MyTransport.SG。 当局指出,制定电动踏板车登记制度,旨在阻止鲁莽骑士行为,并提升取缔违规骑士的执法行为,以改善所有道路使用者的安全。 电动滑板车的注册始于今年1月2日,持有者可上网为他们的设备注册。 陆交局指出,注册的电动滑板车必须拥有当局的注册标记和一个识别标记(记录着电动踏板车的唯一注册号),以帮助当局进行识别。 注册人必须年满16岁,并且需要声明其电动滑板车符合《2017年活跃通勤法令》(Active…