Deyalsingh: No TB in TT

UPDATE:

Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh yesterday blamed the misuse of social media for the spread of rumours of tuberculosis (TB).

Speaking to the media after launch of TT Moves – an awareness campaign addressing non-communicable diseases held at the Brian Lara Promenade – Deyalsingh said there was no truth to the claims of cases of people hospitalised with TB.

He said TT is full of rumours, and a teacher decided on her own to close down a school because she suspected there was TB there.

“She made that decision. There was no TB. There is a claim of TB at UTT: there is no TB.
“Social media is just so full of these claims that filter into the mainstream media. It is sad where we have reached as a society where unsubstantiated claims are becoming accepted as fact.”
He said there was a security guard at the Guardian building “who took it upon himself to diagnose a case of TB and shut down a building. There was no TB.

“Let me say that categorically, (in) the ASJA school incident, the principal, without advice from the Ministry of Health, took a decision to close down a school. There was no TB in the school. It is just these claims that have no grounding and fact.”

Deyalsingh said he totally condemned the practice of people claiming others had TB.
“Putting these people’s names into the public domain is a practice I abhor, because all patients are entitled to confidentiality and privacy.

“It is just the way modern society is becoming, where people feel they have a right to make all these claims and say things about people, and as a society we have to find way and means to deal with it. I am just asking people to be responsible.”

On Monday, an employee at UTT fell ill and was taken to Caura Hospital. UTT president Prof Sarim Al-Zubaidy said while he cannot confirm that an employee of the university has TB, UTT had followed all protocols and guidelines from the Ministry of Health.

ORIGINAL STORY:

Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh today blamed the misuse of social media for the spread of rumours of tuberculosis (TB).

Speaking to the media after launch of TT Moves – an awareness campaign addressing non-communicable diseases held at the Brian Lara Promenade – Deyalsingh said there was no truth to the claims of cases of people hospitalised with TB.

He said TT is full of rumours, and a teacher decided on her own to close down a school because she suspected there was TB there.

“She made that decision. There was no TB. There is a claim of TB at UTT: there is no TB.

"Social media is just so full of these claims that filter into the mainstream media. It is sad where we have reached as a society where unsubstantiated claims are becoming accepted as fact."