Tuberculosis (TB)

Although not considered to be an area of critical concern, 1,820 new cases of TB were detected in 2002, mainly in La Paz, Mulegé, and Los Cabos, of which only two-thirds were treated and controlled.[1]  The morbidity rate for tuberculosis is above the national average, but below that of Baja California.[2]  In 2003, health authorities initiated a control program, where 100% of the detected cases were subjected to treatment with strict supervision; 88% resulted in remission, putting the state among the top ten in Mexico in terms of TB illness control.

Dr. Eduardo Rodríguez Pulido (Former BCS Secretary of Health) commented that the principal challenge facing the control of tuberculosis is that patients abandon treatment as soon as they start to feel better.  If treatment is not completed, the disease can develop a resistance to medications within the affected population.