Pulmonary TB prevalence 20 times higher in prisons
Says study
Prevalence of pulmonary tuberculosis is 20 times higher in prisons than in the general population due to overcrowding and lack of adequate health screening, revealed ICDDR,B study yesterday at a dissemination workshop.
The study conducted by International Centre for Diarrhoeal Diseases Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B) in collaboration with National Tuberculosis Programme at the Dhaka Central Jail also found that 10,000 prisoners are being crammed in a space holding a capacity to accommodate 2,600 inmates.
However, active screening of the prison staff and inmates could be effective in preventing and controlling the disease, according to the study.
At a workshop on Improved Health for the Poor: Health, Nutrition, Population, the researchers shared 30 research activities on health by ICDDR,B since 2004 in collaboration with different government organisations.
The research was aimed at building national capacity on child health, nutrition, pulmonary tuberculosis intervention and other issues.
Frequent occurrence of diarrhoea increases the risk of GuillainBarré syndrome (GBS), Non-polio Enteroviruses in Acute Flaccid Paralysis and severe malnutrition, revealed the researchers.
One fourth of all the diarrhoea cases are caused by rotavirus, they said adding that the RotaTeq vaccine saves life of 46 percent of these patients in the country.
Around 50 percent death resulting from complications of the disease could be reduced by using the method, they said.
Health Secretary Md Humayun Kabir was present as the chief guest while among others Project Director of Improved Health for the Poor of ICDDR,B Dr Ishtiaque Zaman, Deputy Executive Director of ICDDR,B Dr Abbas Bhuiyan, Dr Shams El Arifeen, Dr Tahmeed Ahmed, Dr Jena Hamadani, Prof Deen Mohammad and Dr Parveen Fatima also spoke.
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