This BATTLE can be WON
Seven crore (70 million) people in the world suffer from tuberculosis (TB). Every year 25 to 30 lakh people die from it. Two patients die every 3 minutes in India. 40,000 people get infected every day. It is considered a lung disease, but it also spreads through the bloodstream from the lungs to other parts of the body. India reported the highest number of 24.04 lakh TB cases last year, compared to the World Health Organization (WHO) estimate of 26.9 lakh cases.
Amit Baijnath Garg, Senior Journalist-Writer
The India TB report states that 79,144 deaths have been reported from TB last year, which is much lower than the WHO's estimate of 4.4 lakh deaths. The difference between the estimated cases and the notified cases has come down significantly. This has been due to increased engagement with the private health care sector and other initiatives. In this sense, it has increased by 14 percent as compared to the previous year. There has been a growth of about 35 per cent in the private sector as 6.78 lakh TB patients were notified. While releasing the annual report, the health dept appreciated the collective efforts in this work, saying that the govt is committed to eradicate tuberculosis from the country by 2025, which is five years ahead of the global target. In line with the ambitious target, the program has been renamed from Revised National Tuberculosis Control Program (RNTCP) to National Tuberculosis Elimination Program (NTEP).
TB control in states
Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh are the top three best performing states for tuberculosis control in the category of states having population of more than 50 lakh in terms of score on the state TB index. In the report, Tripura and Nagaland are the best performing states in the category of states with a population of less than 50 lakhs. Dadar & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu have been adjudged the best performing Union Territories. This ranking will encourage all the states and union territories to improve their performance to achieve the targets. Early detection and prompt proper treatment are essential for the eradication of tuberculosis. The highlight of this year is that for the first time, the Central TB Division released a quarterly ranking on the efforts made by all the states and union territories to eradicate tuberculosis. According to the report, like last year, half of the total cases of tuberculosis were reported in five states, Uttar Pradesh 20 percent, Maharashtra 9 percent, Madhya Pradesh 8 percent, Rajasthan and Bihar both 7 percent each.
To win the fight
Earlier, in 2017 the central govt had developed a National Strategic Plan for its elimination with the goal of ending TB by 2025. Some states have committed to eradicate it even before 2025. Himachal Pradesh aims to be free by 2021 and Sikkim and Lakshadweep by 2022. According to the report, more than 24.04 lakh patients were identified in 2019, which is 14 percent more than the previous year. The report said that out of the total TB patients, 2.9 lakh people could not be identified. Out of 10 lakh unidentified cases, 7.81 lakh cases have been identified across the country.
The fight against TB was a difficult task, but now it is not so. We can win the fight even before 2025. The TB report said the private sector detected 7 lakh cases last year as against 3,000 in 2012. The success rate also increased from 79 percent to 81 percent. However, India has become a stronghold of the deadly infectious epidemic TB. According to The Global Tuberculosis Report of the WHO, India has the highest number of TB patients in the world. Drug-resistant TB is that dangerous form of TB, at which even the two most powerful anti-TB drugs fail. The world's health experts have named it a live bomb and a serious health crisis. Even more so, TB is a disease that affects people in the most productive period of your life i.e. in the age group of 15-59 years.
The central government gives only 500 rupees a month as nutritional allowance to TB patients. Sometimes the patient is not able to get it due to lack of funds on time. The government should pay attention to these issues. The patient also needs to be serious. TB drugs ranges from three months to nine months. During the treatment of TB, care has to be taken to never leave the course of medicines in the middle. Some patients stop taking medicines after getting some relief, due to which the chances of getting disease again increase manifold. It should be avoided and medicines should be taken regularly. There is no special concern among the public about this epidemic interfering in our lives. To completely eradicate TB from the country, we have to take advantage of the services provided by the government. If the country can stand against the corona virus pandemic in five months, it can certainly fight TB too.
