TB ward: Inside story

DUBAI:  Despite the recent announcement that resident expats won't be screened for tuberculosis (TB), it's not yet clear what will happen to the 30 expatriates undergoing treatment at Dubai's TB isolation centre in Al Muhaisnah.

Dubai Health Authority recently published new medical fitness test rules stating that TB and hepatitis were not deportable diseases except for workers such as food handlers, maids, restaurant workers, nannies and teachers.

However, Dr Mahmoud Fikri, Executive Director for Health Policies at the Ministry of Health, said existing federal rules still apply. "There's nothing new. For us, there are no changes yet."

In June this year, health authorities from other emirates met in Dubai to unify guidelines for treating TB in the wake of new TB treatment/re-treatment guidelines issued by the World Health Organisation (WHO), which in 2009, showed TB as curable.

In light of these developments, XPRESS visited the TB isolation facility. One thing was clear - boredom is the biggest problem here. Relatives or friends are allowed to meet patients during visiting hours, but they must wear masks. A total of 317 people were treated in these wards in Dubai from January to July, compared to 159 for the whole of 2009. Maisa Al Bustani, Director, Medical Fitness Services Department, Dubai Health Authority, said: "Everything we provide for them [patients], right from treatment and meals to follow-up check-ups and accommodation, is free."

Ram, 30, from Rajasthan, India, said he paid Rs30,000 (Dh2,600) to a recruitment agent to get a job in Dubai, but now the disease has robbed him of all hope. "How will I get my money back?" he asked. Ravikumar, 25, from Karnataka, said he was recruited by Eppco as petrol station attendant. "I am just thankful that we're undergoing treatment here free of charge," said Ravikumar. "We like it here, the food is good and we're treated nicely." Cheryl, 32, from Cavite, Philippines, who has been living here for nine years, said she was diagnosed with TB two weeks ago. She is hoping to go home to complete her medication. "I have no idea where I got this," she said.

Dr Hassan Shurie, Consultant Head of Technical Services, Medical Fitness Services Department, said the government spends Dh1,200 per patient per day at the facility. Dr Shurie said all contacts of "index" (TB positive case) are traced and subjected to TB screening.

By law, patients testing positive must be deported after two-three weeks of treatment. A cocktail of four antibiotics taken over six months by new patients and eight months for re-treatment proves effective in killing the bacteria.

At a glance

• Tuberculosis (TB), an infectious disease, has plagued humans since Neolithic times. Two organisms cause TB: Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium bovis.
• The M. tuberculosis organism remains dormant in 90 per cent of infected people.
• TB kills three million people every year and infects one-third of the world's population.
• Robert Koch isolated the tubercle bacillus in 1882 and established TB as an infectious disease.