World Tuberculosis Day was observed across the globe on Sunday. There was a time when it was believed that even kings succumb to tuberculosis. But times have changed now and so has the situation, at least in the capital city.
“In 2000, under the aegis of Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP), a Government of India initiative, the first ever DOTS centre of Jharkhand was set up in Ranchi at Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS). Currently, a well-formed network is functioning at the sub-divisional level to tackle TB in the State,” informed AK Mahato, Head of Department of Medicine at RIMS.
lots of other technical improvements too have been implemented to curb this mortal ailment.
Mahato stated, “Presently we have the facility for Mycobacterial culture which is crucial in the diagnosis of TB. Also, patients with multi drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) are now being treated effectively at the Itki TB sanatorium.”
But this does not imply that the disease has seen its end in Jharkhand. Still, a lot needs to be done to eradicate the disease from the State.
“TB is pandemic, one TB patient might infect 12-15 more people. Casualties of TB are still a major concern for us. We cure more than 3,000 cases each year but still thousands of new cases turn up each year,” said District TB Officer Umesh Chandra Sinha.
As the records suggest, 40 die from tuberculosis every day in the State.
Sinha added, “Alcoholism is also a major hindrance in eradicating TB. Some alcoholic TB patients are so engrossed with their vice that they forget even about their medication. We try to counsel them but mostly in vain. Patients often fail to complete the DOTS regimen too, which leads to MDR-TB or Extremely Drug Resistant TB (XDR-TB), advanced forms of TB.”
Efforts are being made to overpower these challenges too. “Awareness is the key to all these problems. So we are sensitising everyone in affected areas, from the Mukhiya to the school boys. We are spreading the motto ‘Poora Course, Pakka Ilaaj’ far and wide.”
Considering the poor status of the majority in Jharkhand, a lot has been done to help them in case of TB.
“Under RNTCP, free diagnosis and medication are given to every TB patient. To ensure that every patient completes the DOTS regime, they are registered and are given their medication by a DOTS drug provisory. If they miss their dosage for even a day, we track them and give them their medication,” Mahato said.