Tuberculosis cases rise in Mizoram

Tuberculosis cases are on the rise in the northeastern state of Mizoram with around 600 cases being detected during the first six months this year against only 80 cases in the entire year last year, officials said here Monday.

"There were 592 fresh tuberculosis cases reported in Mizoram during January to June this year and 43 people have died of the disease in the state during the same period," an official of the state health department told reporters.  The official said that 91 percent of those infected with tuberculosis were cured during the January to June period.

"The increase of the tuberculosis cases was found to be disturbing. A meeting of experts, doctors, para-medical staffs and other health officials was held in Aizawl last week and finalised some strategies to deal with this health issues," the official added. World Health Organisation consultant Gautam Borgohain said in that meeting that Mizoram would be given a machine costing over Rs.35 lakh so that the doctors in the state could impart better treatment to tuberculosis patients.

According to experts, the outbreak of tuberculosis these days is due to environmental factors. "Overcrowding, malnutrition and weakened immune systems are also major contributing factors of this disease," said Ranjit Das, a tuberculosis disease expert.