Tuberculosis and Medication
written by: Muhammad Arif Rahimi
Tuberculosis (also known as TB) is a disease caused by a type of bacteria. TB mainly infects the lungs, although it could also affect other organs. When someone with untreated TB coughs or sneezes, the air is filled with droplets containing the bacteria, the person near to the infected person would also be infected with this disease. The TB patients must go to a doctor or a hospital for essential treatment but only visiting the physician is not enough, the patient should take his/her medicines as prescribed by the physician otherwise he/she would face some crucial problems.
AEPO’s writer/producer has talked to some patients and a physician about the medication of tuberculosis.
Ferozan, a teacher at one of Paghman district, Kabul province private schools says: “the wife of my uncle was suffering from tuberculosis and she was not taking her medicines regularly. Her bones became decayed and she broke her one leg. She faced kidneys and liver failure and finally, she died.”
Bismillah Khan, a resident of Farza district, Kabul province says: “as there is no one suffering from TB in our village so I do not know anything about the medication of this disease.”
Doctor Iqbal, a physician at the Afghan-Japan Communicable Disease Hospital, tuberculosis center says: “If a tuberculosis patient does not take his/her medicines regularly, he/she would not be cure and his/her disease might be worsened; he would lose almost half of his/her weight; could not be able to work or walk. His/her medication becomes harder and expensive and he/she might not be treated easily or he/she might die.”
What do people think about the causes of these problems?
A person, who does not want to introduce himself says: “I am suffering from tuberculosis. I took some medicines but the medicines were not useful and they badly effected on my stomach and I left the medication.”
Firozan says: “The first reason is economic problems and the second one is the lack of knowledge about the medication of tuberculosis. If a patient does not take his/her medicines regularly, the disease increases and his/her body becomes weak. My uncle’s wife passed away for a lack of knowledge.”
Doctor Iqbal says: “when a patient takes some medicines, he/she feels well and he/thinks that he/she is recovered, then he/she does not take the entire dose of the medicines. The medicines of tuberculosis also have some side effects and the patient leaves the medication. This causes the body to become weak; the patient loses his/her body resistance and his/her could fight against the bacteria and the disease gets worse.”
How do patients take tuberculosis medicines?
Shireen Agha, a resident of Qarabagh district, Kabul province says: “my ten years daughter was suffering from TB. The doctor advised her 6-months medication. She regularly took her medicines and now she is recovered from TB.”
Shagofa, a resident of Logar province says: “my aunt was suffering from tuberculosis and its bacteria transferred to me. The physician advised me 6 months medication and I took them regularly. When I check TB again, there was no sign of this disease seen.”
Doctor Iqbal says: “to take the medicines regularly, the patient should consider these three points: 1: he/she should take the medicines according to the prescription. 2: the medicines should be taken on the exact time and he/she could not forget taking medicines even one time and one his/her family members should help him/her in this issue. 3: if the patient feels well, he/she should not cut the medicines without the consultation of the doctor and he/she should have a tuberculosis test at the end of the medication.”