Unite to End TB

For all the comforting words that emanate from the policy-makers and representatives from successive government, India has the most dubious rate in tuberculosis.

It has been of such a magnitude that around nine million new TB cases are reported in the country of which 1.5 million succumb to the disease. According to the national average, the success rate of treatments for new cases is 87 percent while it stands at 70 percent for re-treatments. In 2015, 37.8 percent of HIV-TB patients were diagnosed using CBNAAT while it was a staggering 86 percent a year later.

Marking the World TB Day on Friday, “Revised National TB Control Program” (RNTCP) organised a State-leve; seminar in the city in which it reiterated its commitment to strive for a TV-free India.

Continuing its mission, this year’s programme has been themed ‘Unite to end TB’ where speakers led by Dr K Subhakar, Chairman of RNTPC Zonal Task Force called for intensified awareness campaigns across the interiors of Telangana. Earlier, in her inaugural address, Dr Lalitha Kumari, Director of Public Health & Family Welfare, said that Telangana Government was taking all efforts to contain TB cases.

Dr M Ramani, Director of Medical Education (DME) urged the people suffering from the ailment to come out in the open without fearing any stigma as it was curable, particularly if in the early stages.

She said medical help was close by and it needed the patients to visit specialised treatment centres. She said irrespective of one’s economic status, it was advisable to visit government hospitals where both doctors and infrastructure were top grade.