Chandigarh, January 6
Anyone can get affected by tuberculosis — that’s a fact doctors in the city confirm without hesitation. If you think you cannot catch the infection just because you are residing in the city away from slums and villages, you are mistaken. In 2002-03, over 10 per cent of the TB patients coming to the treatment units in the city were from urban areas.
Good news, however, is that the treatment, under the Revised National TB Control Programme, sponsored by the World Health Organisation, is more systematic. The result of the programme launched on January 25 last year will be evident in another two or three years, claim doctors. “As of now the chain to spread the disease has been broken,” they assert.
The percentage of patients from the urban areas may not sound disturbing, the numbers are more revealing. In Chandigarh, 1200 to 1500 patients walk into the two treatment units located in Sector 22 and Sector 45 every year. Ten per cent of the total comes out to be 120 to 150 every year. The number is no way “negligible” considering the fact that sputum positive patients among them can further spread the disease.
The National Sample Survey confirms the fact that the urban areas are also afflicted. “Urban and rural population is equally affected by the disease” was the finding of the survey conducted recently.
“Coughing and spitting maid servants, suffering from TB, also contribute towards the spread of the disease,” says State TB Officer Dr Pramod Kumar Sridhar. “This is not all. The bacteria is dormant in each one of us. Once the immunity level goes down due to one reason or the other, the bacteria can once again become active”.
Giving details, Dr Sridhar says, “The immunity level can go down due to some malady. There is more to it. Going on crash diets, besides improper dietary habits and lack of exercise, can also lead to reduced immunity, as a result of which you can easily catch infection, including TB, HIV and diabetes”.
Otherwise, migratory labour is the main source, said Dr Sridhar. “As many as 60 per cent of the patients are from the slums, while 30 per cent are from rural areas.” “The problem gets worse as the ignorant patients sometimes leave the treatment in between and further spread the disease”.
The situation, he asserts, would soon change as the treatment under the Revised National TB Control Programme now is “more methodical and organised”.
“Instead of just depending upon the X-ray examination, we are nowadays going in for sputum examination as a result of which we have been able to check the spread of the disease to a large extent,” the doctor added. “Moreover, we now have two treatment units, besides 67 dot centres and 10 microscopic centres in the city. The patient has to travel a maximum of 2 km to reach a centre”.
The treatment, too, is more effective and free of cost. “The patient simply walks into a dot centre where his treatment is monitored on alternate days. It continues for six to eight months till the patient is cured”.
Last advice from Dr Sridhar. “Early detection can lead to early cure. If you suffer from continuous cough and fever, besides pain in your chest and are losing appetite, and weight, go and consult the doctor immediately. Similarly, if your maid servant is showing the symptoms, take her to the doctor”. Non-government organisations, have, and can further play, a major role in making the programme a success, he said.
