Calling for more concerted efforts to tackle the deadly Tuberculosis (TB) disease, Governor of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh ESL Narasimhan on Thursday said the aim should be to eradicate TB like Polio.
At the inauguration of the 66th TB Seal Sale Campaign at Raj Bhavan, the Governor said that the focus should be on organising more medical camps to screen patients for TB to start early medication. The annual event programme is organised by the The Tuberculosis Association of Andhra Pradesh for which the Governor is the President.
Mr. Narasimhan said that for the country’s economy to progress, health security of the citizens was of paramount importance. Citing some of the challenges of the TB programmes, he said that monitoring the patients was one of them since the treatment was a fairly long affair and there was every chance the patient might discontinue medication assuming he was free of the ailment.
Also, the Governor advised the association members to create awareness among doctors to make sure that they do not dismiss the condition of TB patients as mere elementary cough.
He pointed out that a holistic approach was needed, including awareness on diet, symptoms, and proper medication, to control TB. The Governor expressed his displeasure upon knowing that the association was being bifurcated and reasoned that since the people from both States were getting affected with the same medical condition, a united body would be more affective.
Earlier, Guntur District and Rangareddy District were declared to be in the first and second position for raising lakhs of rupees selling TB Seals last year, proceeds of which went towards various activities related to TB.
Arun Kumar Mohanty, Patron, TB Association of AP informed that the poor and the illiterate were being provided with nutritious food and medicines to fight the condition. He also said that in Guntur District, TB could be controlled in almost all the patients.
This year, about Rs. 10 lakhs worth of TB Seals will be up for sale at Rs. 5 each in the states of AP and Telangana.
