‘Take the drugs or die’

PORT MORESBY – Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O’Neill has sounded a simple message to tuberculosis (TB) patients – complete your medication or die.

O’Neill, who has taken the lead in the fight against TB, said in the coming days and weeks control measures would be put in place in Daru and Western Province, the worst affected parts of the country. He urged everyone with relatives and families with tuberculosis to pass on the simple message that patients must finish their medication.

“The main message is very simple – that people who are on treatment must finish their medication, it is simply not good enough that you stop because you feel better, that is why you develop resistance.

“This is the sort of public awareness that every one of us, if you have relative or families that have TB, must finish their medications, if they don’t they simply will die, that is a fact, they will simply die, so please let us work together.”

O’Neill said these were expensive treatments and the Government was doing everything to overcome TB just it had overcome the battle with HIV/AIDS.

He was responding to questions over the seriousness of TB in Western Province, Gulf and National Capital District.