Tina Campbell. (Submitted Photo)

By Julia Lovett-Squires

TB Cases

NITHA reports new cases of TB in the north

Dec 9, 2023 | 8:00 AM

Northern Inter-Tribal Health Authority (NITHA) recently announced the latest active tuberculosis (TB) cases.

When TB Advisor Tina Campbell was in the region, which serves 33 communities within Meadow Lake Tribal Council, Prince Albert Grand Council, Lac La Ronge Indian Band, and Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation, back in 2019, there were 19 cases in the region.

Then the pandemic hit.

“It affected every program delivery because everyone was focused on COVID and then isolation and communities were locked down and health centres were for emergencies only,” she said.

Two years later, they recorded 72 cases with some being quite advanced.

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“These people were screened for COVID-19, being found negative and then they weren’t followed up unfortunately, because nobody at that time was thinking TB, they were all thinking COVID,” said the healthcare worker who has dedicated her career to the disease.

“So, we did have people unfortunately that were diagnosed with TB Meningitis that now are facing life-long disability because of it.”

During November, there were four new active cases of TB in the communities with 36 patients currently receiving treatment.

“Treatment for TB is really old. I mean it’s the same medication they’ve been using for…nearly 100 years,” Campbell said, adding that at least four antibiotics are used over at least a six-month period.

“These medications too are so old and they can be toxic to your liver just because that’s where they’re all metabolized so, monitoring is so important while you’re on treatment.”

According to a NITHA, there are currently no hospitalizations, but they have recorded 178 cumulative TB cases since 2020. Pediatrics (children between the ages of 0 to 14) have seen 65 cumulative cases.

Tuberculosis is caused by bacteria and is spread through much the same way as COVID – that is through the air between people. It is primarily a lung disease, but it can spread to other organs including the brain, bone and spine.

“Just a lot of dissemination throughout the body, which puts people at a bigger risk so, we had a lot more hospitalizations,” she said.

Tuberculosis is not a discriminating disease although, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada website, those who are most affected tend to be marginalized communities. Campbell said that those who are immunocompromised and have poor health are also more susceptible to contracting the illness.

“We try and find those people first and when I say that, the most important people that we try and find are kids under the age of five,” she said.

Meanwhile, Campbell said that everyone in the province needs to be aware of the uptick in TB cases but also other infections that are on the rise.

“Really understand the differences between them and the symptoms and also if you don’t know about TB, ask about TB, we have so many great resources with the SHA and then also with our NITHA community.”

For more information visit NITHA’s website or call 306-953-5000.

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julia.lovettsquires@pattisonmedia.com

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