On Northern Cyprus, tuberculosis incidence is rising

On World Tuberculosis Day, the Turkish Cypriot Medical Association demanded the preparation of an emergency action plan due to the increasing number of cases of this dangerous disease in Northern Cyprus.

According to the Secretary-General of the association, Ceyhun Dalkan, the increase in the number of tuberculosis cases in Northern Cyprus has turned into a healthcare crisis that urgently needs to be addressed.

According to the union leader, the increase in morbidity in the country is associated with factors such as inadequate healthcare infrastructure, lack of early diagnosis and treatment, drug resistance, uncontrolled migration, and insufficient screening of migrants.

Emphasizing that the government and medical institutions must prioritize this issue, the head of the medical association stated that improving the situation requires strengthening healthcare infrastructure and improving services for early diagnosis and treatment of the disease. Additionally, the scientific method that should be used in screening is the PPD test — a method for assessing immunity to the tuberculosis agent by evaluating the reaction to tuberculin (a preparation made from mycobacteria).

"Only in this way can we stop the spread of tuberculosis and protect public health," said the Secretary-General of the medical association.

Tuberculosis is an infectious disease transmitted through the air, which can lead to serious consequences, especially in people with weak immune systems. Early diagnosis and effective treatment are crucial for preventing the spread of tuberculosis and stopping the progression of the disease. It is also crucial for patients to regularly take medication, especially to prevent drug resistance.

World Tuberculosis Day is a commemorative date observed annually on March 24th, initiated by the World Health Organization, which declared tuberculosis a global problem in 1993.