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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH DOTS Program for TB (Tuberculosis Directly Observed Short-course) TUBERCULOSIS • The Philippines is among the 22 highburdened countries in the world according the WHO. • TB is sthe 6th leading cause of illness and the 6th leading cause of deaths among the Filipinos. • Most TB pateints belong to the economically productive age-group (15-54 years old) according to the 2nd National Prevalence Survey in 1997. TUBERCULOSIS • Seventy-five (75) Filipinos die of TB every day, most of them in the prime of their life. • If untreated, a person with tuberculosis can transmit the TB bacteria to as many as 10 to 15 people during the course of one year, who, in turn, may develop the disease. What is TB? • Tuberculosis is an infectious disease caused by TB bacteria (Mycobacterium tuberculosis) that primarily affects the lungs. • This condition is known as pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB). • One may also have tuberculosis in the bones, meninges, joints, genito-urinary tract, liver, kidneys, intestines and heart and this is called extrapulmonary tuberculosis. How is TB treated? • Tuberculosis is a curable disease. • Patients are prescribed with appropriate regimen to render them non-infectious and cured, as early as possible. • The treatment for TB is a combination of 3-4 anti-TB drugs. • NEVER should we prescribe a SINGLE DRUG for TB treatment! This will worsen the patient's condition. What is DOTS? • D.O.T.S stands for Directly-Observed Treatment Short0course. • It is a comprehensive strategy endorsed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases (IUATLD) to detect and cure TB patients. 5 Components of TB-DOTS Program • Political or Management commitment • TB diagnosis through sputum microscopy (x-ray is only a secondary diagnostic tool) • Availability of complete and quality anti-TB medications • Supervised treatment (a responsible person making sure that the patient takes the anti-TB medication everyday) • Recording and reporting of cases and outcomes WHO Report on the TB Epidemic, 1997: • DOTS cure TB patients and it can produce cure rates as high as 95% even in the poorest countries. • DOTS prevent new infections among children and adults • DOTS can stop resistance to anti-TB drugs. • DOTS is cost-effective. DOTS is THE MOST EFFECTIVE STRATEGY available for controlling the worldwide TB epidemic today.