A UNIFORM strategy for the surveillance, prevention and treatment of tuberculosis is outlined in a Department of Health working party's report which was released yesterday.
The 17 member working party was established in October 1992, in response to a slowing in the decline of TB infections.
One of the party, Dr Jim Kiely, Dpy Chief Medical Officer at the Department of Health, said experts were concerned about whether the decline in TB numbers would continue or whether the charge in incidence patterns was "the start of something new".
The report notes that TB deaths had fallen to 1.4 per 100,000 population in 1994 but "the number of deaths remain high in comparison to some European countries".
The Irish level is still higher than the World Health Organisation's level at which the neo natal BCG inoculation is no longer routinely administered.
Among the working party's recommendations is the proposal that a National Tuberculosis Review Committee "would advise on a national strategy for the control and management of tuberculosis".
The establishment of regional collaborative committees around the State is also recommended. Directors of Public Health (DPH) are responsible for monitoring TB in local areas.
The working party said the collection of data needed to be improved and it recommended that pharmacies which prescribe anti tuberculous medication should forward prescription details to DPHs. It also recommends the development of a national laboratory surveillance scheme.