I contracted tuberculosis (TB) some 40 years ago, as did my father and older brother. Here are a few points I would like to share:

- Personal hygiene must be observed. All dishes and cutlery must be rinsed in hot/boiling water before use.

- Trace the common meal areas of patients, especially near their homes, as contaminated cutlery from food outlets can spread the disease easily.

- Make it compulsory for eateries to do hot water baths for all cutlery, utensils and dishes.

- The National Environment Agency should require eateries to provide all cutlery in a completely dry condition.

The above steps should minimise the spread of TB in our densely populated living environment.

Chiuh Seng Hiong