Tuberculosis in Children

     Written by: Waheda sabir

According to the latest information provided by the Ministry of Public Health of Afghanistan, tuberculosis takes the life of about 13,000 Afghans yearly and more than 10-12 children infected by the respiratory tuberculosis are transferred to the Indira Gandhi child Care Hospital, Kabul city.

AEPO’s writer/producer has talked to some parents and relatives of children infected by the tuberculosis.

A man, Salarzai says that his nephew is infected with tuberculosis, he suffers from fever and boredom.

A mother says that her daughter always suffers from headache and cough.

Doctor Abful Haq, a child specialist in Indira Gandhi Child Care Hospital says about the symptoms of child tuberculosis says: “Tuberculosis is an Infectious respiratory disease. This disease starts from the ordinary cold in children and due to this reason, the families could not be aware at the early stage of tuberculosis in their children. Coughing for more than 2 weeks, low body weight, fever, high sweating during the night, fatigue, anorexia, and hearing abnormal chest sneezing are the symptoms of child tuberculosis, if not treated on time, it might cause the death of the infected child.”

What do people think about the causes of this disease?

Nek Muhammad, a resident of Paghman district, Kabul province says that tuberculosis virus transfers from the infected person to a healthy person.

A woman says that her husband has infected with tuberculosis, and the virus transferred to her children too.

The doctor says: “Mothers whose children are infected with tuberculosis, they should cover the infected child’s face and mouth with a mask and it would be better to keep the infected children separated from others. If a mother is infected with tuberculosis, she should also use a mask during breast breading and cooking. Parents should pay attention to their children cleanliness. The mothers should wash the hands of their children with clean water and soap many times a day. If a young member of a family suffers from tuberculosis, his/her room, dishes, towel, and other materials should be separated and their sputum should be buried in the ground.”