TB cases have registered a very high increase in Rumbek Civil Hospital and the rise is connected with the spread of HIV Aids.
Daniel Lueth Malual Rok, who heads the TB department at the hospital, told Good News Radio on Wednesday that tuberculosis cases registered a sharp rise.He said numbers would go even higher if the disease was not brought under control through community awareness campaigns.
Mr Lueth explained that when the TB program was managed by Malteser International things were much better because there was enough food and accommodation for the patients.
He said the situation deteriorated when the department was handed over to the State ministry of health.
The head of Rumbek Hospital TB department explained that TB and HIV infections are related and TB takes advantage of a weak immune system to develop.
Mr Lueth said the State needed to help TB patients with food.
He added that there were 155 TB patients in Rumbek Civil Hospital but many more remained at homes due to lack of food and accommodation at the facility.