Turks Fear New Wave of Tuberculosis

ANKARA, Turkey —  After having been brought under control a decade ago through a vigorous medical campaign, Tuberculosis, once the leading cause of death in Turkey, is reported on the increase.

According to official statistics, 200,000 Turks now suffer from active cases of the disease, up from 72,000 10 years ago.

Since 1977, the ranks of tubercular patients have been increasing at the rate of 30,000 per year.

More ominous for the future is the high incidence of healthy carriers of tubercle bacillus, the bacterium that causes the disease. They number 13 million out of a total population of 50 million, according to the latest figures.

‘Problem May Explode’

“The tuberculosis problem is about to explode. These 13 million are under constant risk of developing the disease,” Dr. Ferit Kocoglu, head of the Assn. to Fight Tuberculosis, said.

“The problem will remain on the agenda for 66 years at least until these people are dead and buried,” he said.

In the 1940’s tuberculosis was the leading cause of death in Turkey, with 260 deaths per 100,000 people.

At least one member of every family had the disease, health officials say.

In the 1950’s the Health Ministry launched a massive campaign throughout the country to eradicate the disease more commonly known as consumption.

Health teams fanned around the country to take X-rays and to vaccinate the people.

Diagnosis and Treatment

Seminars were given to educate the public, specialized clinics were set up for tuberculosis diagnosis and treatment.

The mortality rate plummeted drastically.

Currently the mortality rate is eight per 100,000 people. Consumption ranks eighth in Turkey as a cause of death after heart disease, cancer and childbirth complications.

Kocoglu said this compares poorly with industrialized nations but Turkey is still much better off than most countries.

Officials cite various reasons for the current acceleration.

“We thought we had licked the problem and relaxed our vigilance . . . but the snake has raised its head again,” President Kenan Evren said in a recent statement.

He said other communicable diseases such as malaria and hepatitis are also on the rise, mainly because Turkey is surrounded by countries where such epidemics are not under control.

Urbanization the Cause

Kocoglu said he thinks fast urbanization is another cause. Malnutrition, weariness, environmental pollution can awaken the dormant tubercle bacillus in vulnerable bodies, he added.

Even terrorism, which disrupted Turkey with 5,000 political killings in the second half of 1970s, is blamed.

Health Minister Mehmet Aydin said mobile health teams were unable to travel to many small villages and towns cxontrolled by extreme leftist or rightist gangs. As a result many people could not be vaccinated or get medical checkups.

Kocoglu said a public information campaign will seek to educate people on the problem and doctors and patients who do not report cases of consumption may face prosecution.