TITLE TB Awareness is

REP/VO
Helen Welsh/ Hannah Darby, Date: Sept 30
th

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(7s)

A lack of current awareness could be to
blame for the unacceptably high rates
of TB in the UK. Hannah Darby
Reports:
SCRIPT
(02.30s)
Tuberculosis, commonly known as TB,
remains at a high level in the UK, one of
the highest in Western Europe. Current
figures show that there are 12.3 cases
for every 100,000 people. In the late
1800s, TB plagued Britains industrial
cities. It was seen as a disease of the
poor and was most dangerous among
workers in factories, mines and other
industrialized workplaces. Fresh air
therapy was at the forefront of
treatment but now patients are given
private rooms and antibiotics to
combat the disease.

Symptoms of TB include:
A persistent cough of more than
3 weeks
Breathlessness
Weight loss
A high temperature
Extreme Fatigue

As TB is no longer widespread in the
UK, Doctors often consider other
conditions with similar symptoms first
which is leading to problems for many
people.
Allen Harper was one of the many UK
Sufferers of TB. Initially he passed his
symptoms off as Man Flu. It wasnt
until his symptoms remained and
intensified that he felt he was
experiencing more than just the
common cold. After several trips to the
doctors, he was diagnosed with
Pneumonia. Unfortunately his
condition worsened further after not
responding to treatment.
ALLEN, TB SUFFERER
I only weighed eight and half stone, I
looked like a prisoner of war. I often
wear baggy jumpers so I didnt notice at
first, But then I realized I was losing a
lot of weight without any effort.
After returning to the doctors with
these new concerns, he was sent for
various tests including a biopsy, which
finally diagnosed him with TB.
TB rates are higher in the most
deprived populations. 1 in 10 cases
have a social risk factor such as
homelessness, imprisonment, alcohol
or drug misuse. Professor Ibrahim
Abubakar, Head of TB Surveillance at
HPA is in charge documenting any new
developments of TB rates in the UK.
PROF IBRAHIM ABUBAKAR, HEAD OF
TB SURVEILLANCE, HPA.
TB continues to disproportionately
affect those in hard to reach and
vulnerable groups.
However Allen and his doctors were
unsure where he contracted his
disease.
ALLEN, TB SUFFERER
There was a possibility I may have
picked it up from a pub I used to visit in
Grantham. They tried to trace it back
there, but nothing official was ever
proven
Recently, Allen has been diagnosed
with COPD, from the scar tissue
damage left on his lungs.
Despite this, Allen remains upbeat
about his experience with TB and his
future.
ALLEN, TB SUFFERER
Ive learnt to live with it and its not the
end of the world. I am moving on and I
will come out positive.

It is hoped that the creation of a World
TB day will help to raise awareness
about the disease and prevent similar
problems in the future.
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Hannah Darby, UCA NEWS