Sabah Anti-Tuberculosis Assocciation (Sabata) Penampang yesterday launched its flag sale at the Donggongon Tamu to raising funds for it to help eradicate tuberculosis or TB in Sabah. Head of State is the patron of Sabata.

Sabata president Henry Mogindol, said the government provides an annual grant to Sabata, which basically covers the cost of medicine and transport for rural TB patients who come to clinics to collect their medicine.

He said Sabata covers the cost of administration and the volunteers who travel to the rural areas to inform people about TB and also to monitor the TB patients on their treatment.

Hence, Henry said fund raising is important for Sabata to meet these expenses.

He said the latest statistics on TB in Malaysia showed 15,570 cases with Sabah at the top with 4,500 cases. This figure does not include TB among illegal immigrants.

Sabata Penampang chairman Sylvester Spiji, the association is working closely with other NGOs such as the Lions Club of Penampang and the Health Department Penampang to providie health education to the rural folks.

During the health projects, doctors and medical officers from the Health Department would give talks on TB so that the people are aware of how the disease is spread and how TB can cause a slow death to those affected as it is a community disease.

The latest joint health education program was undertaken in Kg Timpagoh, Sugud Penampang on April 17, 2016. The health program also involved blood screening for diabetes and high blood pressure.

According to the Penampang Health Department officer, Dina Marius, the district has recorded one of the highest numbers of TB cases in Sabata.

Dina, who is also an official of Penampang Sabata, said it is a big challenge for the Health Department, Sabata and the Lions Club of Penampang to reduce or eradicate incidences of TB in Penampang.

Sylvester, meanwhile, would like to thank the people of Penampang for their generous donations during the fund-raising campaign.

He said he and his team will be covering more areas in Penampang until the end of July 2016 when the flag sales officially end.

Sylvester also said he will write to all the political leaders in Penampang to help Sabata Penampang to raise more funds.

Source:
courtesy of THE BORNEO POST

by Borneo Post

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