'Focus on TB Management & preventive treatment in districts'

kolkata: The state Health department is set to start tuberculosis management and preventive treatment of the disease in each district.

The project aims at identifying the patients from various pockets, who have not yet been detected.

Like the Sentinel survey that was being carried out throughout the state to identify the prevalence of Covid, a similar programme had been initiated where tuberculosis (TB) management would be carried out in all the districts to

identify TB patients. Those affected with TB would be given treatment and preventive measures would be taken up by the district health officials, besides spreading awareness.

According to data, around 193 people out of every one lakh population are getting affected with TB every year in Bengal. Most of the affected are given treatment by the Health department."The TB management will be done to identify those who have not been detected with the disease. The step has been taken to ensure that there are no lapses to check TB in the districts. At a time when people are scared of Covid, there must be some focus on TB as well. If a TB patient is affected with Covid, the risk factors will be multiplied," a health official said.Health department has already asked all the districts to strengthen surveillance against the spread of tuberculosis (TB).

The department has given a stress on the screening of TB particularly on the suspected patients. The district health officials have been also directed to intensify screening on the patients and initiate necessary treatment for them. The screening of TB had taken a backseat amid Covid pandemic. The Union Health Ministry has also made certain recommendations in this regard. Health officials apprehend that the TB cases might have gone up amid the Covid situation. The Health department has been sending airborne infection control (AIC) kits to the districts under the National TB Elimination Programme.