KMC treats over 1 lakh TB patients in the city

As part of the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP), Kolkata Municipal Corporation’s (KMC) Health department has diagnosed and treated over one lakh patients while screening over 2 lakh slum dwellers in the city for the disease in 2023.

According to KMC, a total of 137565 tuberculosis (TB) patients were diagnosed and treated, out of which 5891 private patients were notified and treated.

Further, Drug Resistant Tuberculosis (DR-TB) treatment was provided to 31 private DR-TB patients. According to the Global TB Report 2023, published by the World Health Organization, the estimated number of drug-resistant TB in India has reduced by 21 per cent from 1.4 lakhs in 2015 to 1.1 lakhs in 2022. In West Bengal, the number of DR-TB cases till October 31, 2023 was 2367. This is a decrease from 3088 cases in 2022.

As per the shared data of KMC, a total of 285936 slum population was screened for TB, 799 sputum tests were conducted and 29 patients were diagnosed through active case finding.

The civic body also shared that an amount of Rs 1.73 crores to TB patients was sent in the form of direct bank transfer (DBT). Further, in a bid to encourage the private practitioners of the city for TB reporting, KMC has given Rs 1180000 incentives to them.

In its efforts to stop the spread of TB infection, the KMC has distributed 3500 Airborne Infection Control Kits (AICK) among 3500 TB patients. More than 5000 close contacts of microbiological confirmed TB patients were given preventive therapy. A new chest X-Ray facility opened at Urban Primary Health Centre (UPHC) 11 at Hatibagan.

The civic body is also spreading awareness against the disease. About 84 meetings were convened at the community level while 112 ACSM (Advocacy Communication Social Mobilisation) events such as street dramas were executed in Kolkata.