Two gram panchayats in Dakshina Kannada have been announced TB Mukt Panchayats. The districts are Pilathabettu and Manila gram panchayats in Bantwal taluk of Dakshina Kannada district. The TB cases in the district also reduced in numbers from 3,256 in 2018 to 2,975 in 2023. This year until mid-March 594 cases were noted.
The TB Control Officer Dr. Badruddin said that to increase the diagnosis of multi drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR TB), the Health Department has founded a CBNAAT (Cartridge-Based Nucleic Acid Amplification Testing) facility at Wenlock District Hospital in Mangaluru and Government Hospital in Puttur, eliminating the need for delayed results from labs in Bengaluru or Hubblli. Furthermore, at the community health center in Moodbidri and the Urban Health Center in Bantwal, TrueNat tests were conducted.
The TB Control Officer described that in 2023, the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry introduced the TB Mukt Panchayats initiative. The criteria of the initiative to qualify as TB Mukt Panchayats, include a collection of at least 30 samples per population of 1,000 and the number of TB patients in the village should be zero or one per population of 1,000. The officer said that initially from the Dakshina Kannada district nine gram panchayats were shortlisted from which two qualified the criteria and declared TB Mukt villages in the final verification.
All the patients are provided free treatment (DOTS - Directly Observed Treatment Short Course) for six months under the National TB Control Programme and along with this under the Nikshay Nutrition scheme Rs. 500 per month is provided to the patients. Following pre-treatment evaluation, MDR TB patients are discharged from hospitals within a week and they are given follow-up treatment through the nearest health center by medical officers.
The officer also highlighted the government’s regular distribution of necessary medications to the district and underlined the significance of cooperation from private hospitals, medical colleges, and NGOs in thwarting the spread of TB. Over the years the the reporting of TB cases has descended in the district showing the efforts in control and supervision of TB.
(Input from various sources)
(Rehash/Lavanya Beeraboina/MSM)
