TB patients up by 50% at Civil Hospital

Manav Mander

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, August 14

After the government made it mandatory for doctors, hospitals and chemists to upload information regarding the TB patients, the number of referral patients coming to the Civil Hospital has increased by more than 50 per cent.

Earlier, the Civil Hospital was receiving 500 patients, but now after the government made it mandatory share details about the TB patients, private doctors have started referring patients to the Civil Hospital.

Dr Ashish Chawla, district TB officer, said earlier, the Civil Hospital used to receive nearly 500-600 patients, but after the government made in mandatory to share information about the patients in March, the number of referral patients had increased. Now, each month the hospitals receive nearly 1,400-1,500 patients, he added.

“Last month, we received 600 referrals and 800 our own patients. The load at the Civil Hospital has increased. Now, only specialists are handling the patients. The doctors who used to receive 6-7 patients in a month are referring the patients to us,” he said.

He further said earlier only a few referred patients used to come to them. “We used to think that TB patients going to private doctors are less as compared to those coming to government hospitals for treatment. However, after the notification was issued, it turned out that there are equal number of patients in private as well as government hospitals and clinics,” he added.

Further, now the medicines consumed from the Civil Hospitals had also increased after the flow of patients has gone up.

“Earlier, we required medicines after every three months, but since the rush of patients is more now, we require medicines 2-3 times in a month. Once in a while, there is a shortage, but we receive medicines on short notice,” added Dr Chawla.

Ram Dayal, a TB patient, said: "Earlier, I used to get treatment from a private doctor as lot of time is consumed at the Civil Hospital, but of late, the doctor has stopped checking TB patients. The doctor informed that now TB patients will be given medicines only at government hospitals as some survey is going on."