TB cases on the rise in Faridabad district

Bijendra Ahlawat

Tribune News Service

Faridabad, March 23

The number of cases of multi-drug resistant (MDR) tuberculosis (TB) is on the rise in the district in the absence of hospitalisation facility for serious TB patients at the Civil Hospital here.

Over 5,000 cases have been reported at the hospital and the serious ones are referred to other health centres due to lack of advanced treatment. “My sister was diagnosed with MDR-TB six months ago condition and her condition has gone from bad to worse. She is bed-ridden since then,” said Arvind Kumar, a resident of Dabua Colony here. A daily wager, Kumar, said that she had been referred to Delhi hospital as Civil Hospital doctors here turned her away claiming no bed was available.

“Though she was required to be hospitalised immediately, her condition became serious,” he added.

Sources said the success rate of MDR treatment has reduced drastically due to lack of facilities at the hospital. A majority of the patients are poor, who cannot afford costly treatment in private hospitals. The duration of the MDR treatment is 24 months against the normal period of six months when TB is treated at the initial stage. The total number of MDR-TB cases in the country is around 1.47 lakh.

Dr Sheela Bhagat, in charge, TB Centre at Civil Hospital, said that 5,500 TB cases were reported in 2018. “In the absence of the hospitalisation facility, we refer serious patients to Rohtak or Delhi,” she said, adding that a diet amount of Rs 500 along with free medicines was given to MDR-TB patients.