528 cases in 8 months, Health Dept aims to make Una TB-free
A total of 528 cases of tuberculosis (TB) have been detected in Una district by the Health Department eight months of this calendar year. This was stated by health officials at a meeting of the district-level TB Eradication Programme presided over by Deputy Commissioner Jatin Lal here on Wednesday.
Kits for patients
Nutritional kits for patients are not coming from the government, but from public contribution and Corporate Social Responsibility funds. — Dr Sanjeev Verma, Chief Medical Officer
According to the data provided by the Health Department, of the total cases, 374 were of lung TB. While 11 patients also had HIV infection, 123 were diabetic, meaning they could have contracted the disease due to low immunity.
Last year, 719 TB cases were detected in Una district.
Chief Medical Officer Dr Sanjeev Verma said under the Nikshay scheme of the Central Government, all TB patients were eligible for Nutritional Kits worth Rs 500 each. The kits were not coming from the government, but from contribution by general public or from Corporate Social Responsibility funds, he added. Of 800 patients being treated currently for TB in the district, the department was able to provide the kits to 322.
The Deputy Commissioner announced that the kits to the remaining patients would be provided from the District Red Cross funds. Representative of the Swan Women Federation had also announced to contribute to the District Red Cross for 10 patients.
The CMO said the department had two portable X-ray machines for field sampling and screening of patients. One machine was out of order for the last one year, he said, adding that about 12,000 patients had been screened at the household level.
While the Centre had set a target to eradicate TB by 2025, the deadline was extended due to Covid.
Dr Verma said an adult vaccination drive against TB had been initiated about two years ago and people fitting into six parameters were advised to get BCG vaccination. He added that 85 per cent of the target population had been vaccinated in the district.
The DC was informed that 68 panchayats in the district have been declared as TB-free and screening at household level was continuing to ensure that no case of TB was left untreated in the district, said the CMO.
