To mark world TB Day, an advocacy workshop cum screening of film “Atoot Dor” for faculty and PG students was held at Regional Ayurvedic Hospital Paprola. The chief guest of the event Rugved Thakur SDM Baijnath emphasized on the need to detect the cases being missed by the health system to prevent the further spread, as well as prevent the emergence of further drug resistance, through rational drug use and implementing directly observed therapy. He stated that a person with TB infects about 10 people in a year. Without treatment, half of the people with TB die.
On the occasion, District TB Officer, Dr RK Sood shared that TB is an airborne disease cause by the Mycobacterium tuberculosis (which generally affects the lungs) and is transmitted from the infected person to another through the droplets formed in the throat or lungs. Symptoms suggestive of TB include cough more than 2 weeks, fever for more than 2 weeks, significant weight loss/ weakness, blood in sputum, any abnormality in chest X ray. The bacteria spreads by air borne method, hence the prevention and control is challenging. Health care facilities need to improve ventilation and air exchange to decrease risk of transmission in health care settings.He added that nearly 20 years after the WHO declaration of TB as a global public health emergency (in 1993), India is presently home to around 26% of the world TB patients – 1 in 4 globally. Out of the 28 lakh people in India with TB in 2012, 2.7 lakh died from the disease in 2012. This is equivalent to over 6000 new infections and 700 deaths daily. Most of the death cases belong to the low and middle income group including poor communities and vulnerable groups.
On the occasion, Medical Officer, Drug Resistant TB Centre Tanda, Dr MK Gupta, shared that drug resistant TB spread is undermining efforts to control the global TB epidemic. Multi drug-resistant [MDR-TB] and Extensively drug-resistant [XDR-TB] develop when the long, complex, decades-old TB drug regimen is improperly administered, or when people with TB stop taking their medicines before the disease has been fully eradicated from their body. Once a drug-resistant strain has developed, it can be transmitted directly to others just like drug-susceptible TB. Treatment for MDR-TB consists of what are called second-line drugs. These drugs are administered when first-line drugs fail. Treatment for MDR-TB is commonly administered for 2 years or longer and involves daily injections. Many second-line drugs are toxic and have severe side effects.
In India, 3% of new TB cases and 17% of re-treatment cases have DR- TB. Himachal has over 446 MDR TB cases of which 106 are in Mandi, and 93 in Kangra District. Participants felt a need for support systems for MDR patients. Challenges in detection of childhood TB, and need for coordination between medicine and pediatric departments for better contact tracing were also discussed.Principal of the institute Dr YK Sharma also called for intersectoral and fundamental improvement in determinants of health like tobacco use (Smoking), indoor biomass fuel use from chullah smoke, improving nutritional status especially women. Various faculty members interacted and were sensitized on latest guidelines and it was decided to conduct regular interactions cum continuing medical education programmes.
Medical Supdt BL Verma shared that The Revised National TB Control Programme (RNTCP) is being implemented in the institute, with DOTS strategy which is WHO recommended. Under the programme, diagnosis and treatment facilities including a supply of anti-TB drugs are provided free of cost to all TB patients. For quality diagnosis, designated microscopy centers has been established. Dr SS Rana, Dy. Medical Supdt. cum incharge RNTCP added that drugs are provided to the TB patients in patient wise boxes to ensure that all drugs for full course of treatment are earmarked on the day one, a patient is registered for treatment under the programme.
World TB Day is observed, to mark the historic Tuberculosis presentation by Dr. Robert Koch to raise awareness about the basic and essential knowledge of tuberculosis, causes, prevention and cure of this disease.National Strategy Plan for TB Control 2012-2017 envisions a TB free India through achieving Universal access by provision of quality diagnosis and treatment for all TB patients in the community.