Winnipeg Free Press - saturDAY, May 10, 2014 5
MAY 12-18, 2014 NURSING: A LEADING FORCE FOR CHANGE
Talking about Tuberculosis Education is key to eliminating TB in First Nations communities
By Karen Christiuk – For the Free Press
Tuberculosis is treatable and curable, and Health Canada is working hard to eliminate it in First Nations communities, which are disproportionately affected by TB. “The disease can be cured within about six to nine months using several antibiot- ics together,” says Rose Anne Zacharias, manager of the TB Control Program for Health Canada’s First Nations and Inuit Health Branch in Manitoba. “Early diagnosis and treatment of TB is one of the most effective ways of reducing TB. Anyone who exhibits some of the signs of TB, such as a persistent cough, lasting at least two weeks, extreme fatigue, fever or chills, weight loss or chest pain, should be tested. TB is spread through the air when someone coughs or sneezes, so anyone who has had prolonged exposure to someone with TB, even if it was many years ago, should also be tested.” Educating First Nations peoples through public presentations, posters, and person- al discussions helps to end the fear and stop the spread of the disease. “We want to get the message out that
it’s really easy to get a TB test at a health facility in a First Nations community in Manitoba. And by getting tested, you can help to protect yourself, your family and your community.” Tuberculosis testing typically includes four main components. “A TB skin test is done on the client’s inner forearm, saliva samples are col- lected, and a chest X-ray taken. Then the nurse assesses the client for symptoms and asks about current or past TB expos- ure. All of this information, and test re- sults, is compiled into a treatment plan as needed.” If a client is diagnosed with TB, the treatment is usually fairly routine, even if they live in a remote community. “They travel to a hospital in Thompson or Winnipeg to see a specialist and begin treatment with four or five types of medica- tion for two weeks,” Zacharias says. “If the client progresses adequately and they are no longer infectious, they then re- turn to their home community to continue their TB treatment. The duration of treat- ment can be from six to 12 months de-
pending on the severity and location of the TB in their body. Tuberculosis is curable with complete treatment as prescribed. However, like other infectious diseases, people may become infected again later in life.” If left untreated, TB can cause extreme pain and a number of serious health prob- lems, such as permanent lung damage. “Although TB rates in First Nations com- munities in Manitoba have actually re- mained fairly stable for the past decade, rates are still higher than many other places in Canada,” Zacharias says. “Our goal is to eliminate TB completely from First Nations communities. This can only be achieved with public education, screening, treatment and infant vaccina- tions.” To learn more about how to protect yourself from TB, talk to your health care provider or visit www.healthycanadians. gc.ca/tuberculosis.
(Karen Christiuk is a Health Canada communications advisor.)
Rose Anne Zacharias wants to get the word out that early diagnosis and treatment can reduce instances of TB.
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