
Tuberculosis, leprosy sufferers told to seek treatment
Published on: Wednesday, June 11, 2025
Published on: Wed, Jun 11, 2025
By: Mardinah Jikur Text Size: Muhammad, Faiz and others giving information about TB and leprosy at a supermarket. SANDAKAN: Deputy State Health Director Dr Muhammad Jikal said the public should remain vigilant against Tuberculosis (TB) and Leprosy while actively supporting prevention and eradication efforts in their communities. He said patients battling these diseases should not face social stigma but instead receive full support for recovery.
Advertisement He said this during a walkabout held in conjunction with the 2025 World TB and Leprosy Day Celebration at Harbour Mall, here, on Tuesday. Present were Sandakan District Health Officer, Dr Mohd Faiz Gahamat, among others. The event featured exhibitions on TB, Leprosy and public health, aiming to educate the public on causes, transmission, early symptoms, treatment and preventive measures. Dr Jikal said the programme seeks to increase public understanding of TB and Leprosy, encourage health screenings and early treatment to reduce transmission and complications, eliminate stigma and promote social support for affected individuals and strengthen community involvement in prevention through awareness campaigns and health education. The Sabah Health Department is also enhancing collaborations with government agencies, private sector, NGOs and the public to combat these diseases.
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New Straits Times
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Queen Elizabeth Hospital to showcase royal letter in new historical gallery
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Daily Express
2 days ago
- Daily Express
Tuberculosis, leprosy sufferers told to seek treatment
Published on: Wednesday, June 11, 2025 Published on: Wed, Jun 11, 2025 By: Mardinah Jikur Text Size: Muhammad, Faiz and others giving information about TB and leprosy at a supermarket. SANDAKAN: Deputy State Health Director Dr Muhammad Jikal said the public should remain vigilant against Tuberculosis (TB) and Leprosy while actively supporting prevention and eradication efforts in their communities. He said patients battling these diseases should not face social stigma but instead receive full support for recovery. Advertisement He said this during a walkabout held in conjunction with the 2025 World TB and Leprosy Day Celebration at Harbour Mall, here, on Tuesday. Present were Sandakan District Health Officer, Dr Mohd Faiz Gahamat, among others. The event featured exhibitions on TB, Leprosy and public health, aiming to educate the public on causes, transmission, early symptoms, treatment and preventive measures. Dr Jikal said the programme seeks to increase public understanding of TB and Leprosy, encourage health screenings and early treatment to reduce transmission and complications, eliminate stigma and promote social support for affected individuals and strengthen community involvement in prevention through awareness campaigns and health education. The Sabah Health Department is also enhancing collaborations with government agencies, private sector, NGOs and the public to combat these diseases.


The Star
05-06-2025
- The Star
QuickCheck: Can rats detect tuberculosis by smell?
RATS might not be the first creatures that come to mind when you think of healthcare saviours. Much like in the Tom and Jerry cartoons, we often perceive rats as quick and mischievous. However, in reality, their keen sense of smell is being utilised for far more significant purposes. Can rats be used to detect tuberculosis (TB)? Verdict: YES A Belgian nonprofit called Apopo, originally known for training rats to sniff out landmines, has been training African giant pouched rats to detect TB – a disease that remains prevalent in many regions of Africa – since 2008. In medical centres across Dar es Salaam, the capital of Tanzania, these rodents are already at work. With their extraordinary sense of smell, they can detect the scent of TB bacteria in human sputum samples, often catching infections that standard lab tests miss. It takes about nine months to train a rat, but the results are fruitful. In just their first 16 months of work in Mozambique, the rats helped uncover 764 additional TB cases, representing a 44% increase in detection compared to conventional clinic methods. Of course, there are limitations. These furry diagnosticians cannot determine whether an infection is drug-resistant, and their results still require confirmation through laboratory tests. Nevertheless, many researchers and healthcare professionals see great potential. In the future, the rats might even be stationed in regional labs and hospitals. However, further studies are needed to gauge the public's perception of this unconventional approach to saving lives. References: