Hek calls for concerted fight against TB

SHILLONG: Health Minister AL Hek has urged all stakeholders, including NGOs and religious leaders, to join hands against tuberculosis.
Speaking at a programme on the theme ‘Wanted: Leaders for a TB-Free World’ on the occasion of World Tuberculosis Day at Reid Provincial Chest Hospital here on Saturday, Hek said the government and the department alone cannot eliminate the disease but needs others to curb the disease.
Tuberculosis is still a challenge in the country. Last year, 3,791 people were diagnosed with Basic-TB in Meghalaya.
Dr DG Nongkynrih, state tuberculosis officer, said last year, 27,588 patients were screened out of which 3,791 were diagnosed with Basic-TB, 252 with Multi Drug Resistant-TB, 13 with XDR-TB, 53 with TB-HIV and 206 cases of paediatric TB.
Hek said the theme itself has put forth the need to act diligently towards our goal of eradicating the deadly disease from the society.
Hek informed that he recently attended the End-TB summit in Delhi where Prime Minister Narendra Modi too made a call to eliminate TB from the country by 2025.
During the programme, the Health Minister launched a medical mobile van and gave out 79 Android tablets, supplied by the Centre, which will be used for online recording, data entry and reporting.
West Shillong MLA Mohendro Rapsang, Additional Chief Secretary PW Ingty, Secretary of Health and Family Welfare Pravin Bakshi and other officials were also present on the occasion. The programme was organised by the Meghalaya State Health Society in collaboration with the District Health Society, East Khasi Hills, and Reid Provincial Chest Hospital.