10k battling TB in Khammam

By: Puli Sharath Kumar

Khammam: Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the biggest threats to public health in India. Although the total number of people affected by TB has steadily declined in the last decade, still there are five million people battling TB and about 10,000 infected with TB in Khammam district alone.

Despite commendable strides in medical science, the treatment for tuberculosis continues to be a major challenge, as the bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis continues to develop resistance to drugs. Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP) is widely appreciated for expanding basic diagnostic and treatment services to cover 100 per cent of the population. Though RNTCP treated more than 10 million patients, the rate of decline is very slow.

According to medical data available at the Khammam TB Hospital, the disease remains a major health challenge for the erstwhile Khammam District, where more than 10,876 people were infected in the last five years but, as per the records only 721 members were identified and are undergoing treatment while 96 persons died battling TB.

The District Medical Officer Dr Kondal Rao said TB bacteria latches on to people with low immunity and the disease, which predominantly affects the lungs, spreads with regular close contact with the affected person. People with diabetes are at high risk as TB could exist as co-morbid condition. Migrant workers are a risky group because if there is one infected person, then the entire crowd will easily get infected.

Several programmes were launched to combat TB in the district by creating awareness about the preventive steps, he added.
The District TB programme officer Dr B Srinivas said, “The disease is transmitted by air. Persons who live in badly ventilated houses, who are undernourished and those who are often exposed to the disease have more chances to get infected with the disease.”

Exhaustion, low fever, cough with sputum, loss of appetite and weight are some symptoms of the disease. These symptoms appear slowly over a period of time. There is an equipment by which TB can be diagnosed within two hours. The government is providing free medicine along with testing. Regular anti-tuberculosis treatment, taking good nutritious diet and living in a healthy environment helps cure TB, he added.

There is a need for greater innovation, strategy and diagnostics for universal access to health services to successfully combat tuberculosis in the district. Gangirala Sridhar, a MSW Lecturer (Master of Social Work) said, “TB is one of India's greatest public health challenges and sadly it lacks support from the media, rich and famous. It needs someone familiar or an organisation or a corporate firm to take up the fight against it.”

To control tuberculosis and prevent drug resistance, political commitment and substantially greater resources are necessary. A radical approach is needed to come close to reaching the ambitious target of controlling the spread of TB in the district, he added.