Count of TB patients rises in Dera Bassi

Our Correspondent

Dera Bassi, July 16 

Increase in the number of patients suffering from tuberculosis (TB) in the Dera Bassi constituency has left the Health Department authorities worried.

The Central government has geared up for eliminating tuberculosis (TB) from the country by 2025. It has already started various campaigns, including free medicines and check ups, to make the drive a success. Despite all such initiatives, the number of TB patients in Dera Bassi subdivision has failed to come down.

The authorities attribute this to the enhancee reporting of cases due to the state government’s notification, issued months ago to all private hospitals, including private practitioners. According to the notification, information regarding TB patients has to be passed on to the Health Department to ensure their real time monitoring.

Secondly, as per experts the social stigma attached with the TB and lack of awareness about the disease also plays a vital role as many patients do not opt for a proper diagnosis. Due to this, they do not visit government hospitals for treatment.

According to data from the Civil Hospital, Dera Bassi, as many as 384 normal TB patients have been registered under the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP) in the first five months (Jan to May 2018). 

If one goes by the hospital data, as many as 56 TB cases were registered in January 2018 followed by 60 cases in February, 84 cases in March, 76 cases in April and 108 cases in May. While in 2017, a total of 717 TB cases were registered at the Civil Hospital, Dera Bassi.

In the first quarter (January to March) of 2017, as many as 203 TB cases were registered out of which 119 patients (95 new and 24 old) tested positive for tuberculosis. Out of the new positive cases, 57 were male and 38 female.

In the second quarter (April to June), 189 cases of tuberculosis were registered at the Civil Hospital, out of which 100 tested positive.  Among positive cases, 73 patients, including 47 male, 26 female and two children, were new smear positive pulmonary TB cases.

Out of the 166 TB cases registered in the third quarter (July to Sep) 87 tested positive. Among these, 59 positive TB patients, including 40 male, 19 female and three children, were new smear positive pulmonary TB cases.

Similarly in the fourth quarter (Oct to Dec), 159 cases of tuberculosis were registered out of which 107 tested positive while 73 patients had new smear pulmonary TB.