31.07.12
Tough on TB, not-so-tough on the causes of TB
The UK’s screening programme for latent tuberculosis is not being implemented in those areas where the population is most at risk. As it turns out, these tend to be areas with large migrant populations, particularly those with immigrants from countries where the disease is much more prevalent.
Current immigration checks do not catch latent tuberculosis infections, which are a common cause of the increasing number of fully active tuberculosis cases the country is facing. Areas that face the most cases of TB, like London and Birmingham, have been too busy dealing with active cases to implement the national screening programme.
The nature of the problem is cyclical. The more cases of TB that respiratory clinics have to deal with, the fewer screenings they can perform, so the more TB cases they will inevitably be inundated with in the future.
With the number of TB cases steadily increasing annually, it seems clear that screenings need the resources to be implemented properly. The present situation is in drastic need of a remedy as the preventative treatment, which could significantly alleviate the workload of healthcare providers in high risk areas, is not getting done.
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