Coast Provincial Tuberculosis/Leprosy Coordinator Samson Kioko said 5,350 new cases of the debilitating disease are reported in Mombasa annually.
He said patients develop resistance to drugs for not completing treatment, often after being misled by religious leaders.
Dr Kioko also revealed that infection rates in Mombasa and five other counties in Coast Province are some of the highest in Kenya.
Mombasa County recorded close to 100,000 new cases last year, attributed to crowding in slum areas.
It is estimated that about 14 million people worldwide are infected with active TB, a disease prevalent in impoverished areas and often common among young adults.
In 2009, there were 9.4 million new cases of TB and 1.7 million deaths, including 380,000 deaths from TB among people with HIV/Aids worldwide.
Highest TB burden
The vast majority of deaths from TB are in the developing countries. Kenya is ranked position 22 among countries with the highest tuberculosis burden in the world.
Yesterday, Dr Kioko said poor housing and high population had contributed to the increased TB cases.
He said Mombasa records about 11,000 new cases annually followed by Kilifi (2,617), Kwale (1362), Taita Taveta (638) while Tana River and Lamu report 373 and 225 new cases respectively.
He said three per cent of patients succumb to the infection mostly due to failure to get early treatment.
“Mombasa County is overcrowded and majority of the locals are poor. That is why chances of infection are high considering that the disease is airborne,” said Dr Kioko. He said the most affected age group were people between 15-45.
He said the number of men infected with TB was higher than that of women and stood at over 50 per cent because they are always on the move.
He said diseases that weaken the body’s immunity such as diabetes, HIV/Aids and cancer make people susceptible to contracting TB.
He said the Government had partnered with some private clinics to offer affordable treatment to TB patients. -The Standard
