SHILLONG, March 24: The Health department will soon set up mobile screening units in the rural parts of the state for early detection of people affected with tuberculosis.
Revealing this, Health Minister James PK Sangma said that the mobile screening units be equipped with portable X-ray machines and will have facilities for collection of sputum samples, et al.
Speaking at a function here on Thursday which was organised to observe World Tuberculosis Day, the health minister said, “This will ensure early detection of TB cases in rural cases. We are aware that people in rural areas do not come forward to get themselves tested even if they show some symptoms.”
James contended that only timely diagnosis of tuberculosis can ensure early treatment of patients.
The health minister also aired concern over the issue of stigmatisation that tuberculosis patients are faced with.
“There is a need to stop such attitude towards TB patients. This is one of the challenges we are facing in the fight against TB. As a society, we need to support the people who are infected by the disease,” he said.
Earlier, while addressing the gathering, State Tuberculosis Officer, Dr M Mawrie, informed that they are in the process of setting up a culture and drug susceptibility testing centre laboratory at the RP Chest Hospital.
It may be mentioned that as per the official statistics, in 2019, total drug-sensitive TB cases notified were 5,440 out of which treatment outcome was 82 per cent and the death rate was 3 per cent. In 2020, total drug-sensitive TB cases notified were 4,145 out of which treatment outcome was 80 per cent and the death rate was four per cent. Similarly, in 2021, total drug-sensitive TB cases notified were 4,187 out of which treatment outcome was 81per cent and death rate was four per cent.
100-day campaign under way in districts
In a bid to break the chain of spread of tuberculosis and COVID-19 infection, a 100 days’ 100 districts campaign called ‘Aashwasan’ (assurance) is being held in various districts of the state along with other tribal districts across the country.
In Shillong, the programme was launched by State Tuberculosis Officer (STO), Dr S Mawrie, and District Tuberculosis Officer (DTO), Dr J Kharmawlong.
Piramal Swasthya Management and Research Institute will conduct an awareness campaign in all districts to address the misconceptions regarding TB and COVID-19 and address vaccine hesitancy among the people along with the adoption of COVID-appropriate behaviour by the general public, a statement issued here informed.
Along with this, sputum collection and testing will be done based on symptoms through an active case finding campaign of potential TB patients at the village level and TB treatment will be provided free of cost by the government upon confirmation of the disease.
Under this campaign, people will not need to go to the government health centres for testing, and instead the sputum of presumptive cases will be collected from their homes and transported to the nearest diagnostic centres for testing, it added.