LETTERS : TB DEMANDS SERIOUS RESPONSE.The Dec. 20 article, ``Hospital Crafts TB Detention Plan,'' does not seem to stress the importance of such a strict public health strategy. The idea of jailing people who do not follow their medical regime may seem severe, but tuberculosis tuberculosis (TB), contagious, wasting disease caused by any of several mycobacteria. The most common form of the disease is tuberculosis of the lungs (pulmonary consumption, or phthisis), but the intestines, bones and joints, the skin, and the genitourinary, control is not something that should be taken lightly. The World Health Organization has recently recommended that airlines prohibit infectious TB passengers from boarding flights. The fact is TB is preventable, yet 3 million people still die from the disease every year, and the numbers are not declining. In countries like the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. , one of the main problems with TB control is that patients do not finish their long drug regimes, believing they are completely healed. This continues the spread of TB to others. Even worse, deadly drug resistance may develop. Not only is multidrug-resistant TB almost impossible to treat, but it is extremely expensive. The treatment of one MDR-TB MDR-TB Multi-Drug Resistant Tuberculosis patient may cost up to $250,000. Thus, MDR-TB is a huge public concern. The $1 million spent now for the TB detention and treatment center could save hundreds of millions of dollars down the line. Jasmine jasmine (jăs`mĭn, jăz–) or jessamine (jĕs`əmĭn), any plant of the genus Jasminum of the family Oleaceae (olive family). Karalakulasingam Project manager Princeton Project The Princeton Project on National Security is a multi-year, bipartisan initiative to develop a sustainable and effective national security strategy for the United States of America. Under the stewardship of honorary co-chairs George P. 55 TB Initiative Washington, D.C. |
|
||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion