The Greater Chennai Corporation will soon to begin an intensive drive to identify and treat all patients with tuberculosis in the city.
Following a meeting with representatives of Clinton Health Access Initiative on Monday, work on screening of all private sector hospitals and clinics is expected to begin. According to data compiled by the civic body, the number of reported TB cases per lakh population in the city is only 50 per cent of the all-India average. At least 203 TB cases are reported per lakh population in India, while in Chennai, it is 101.
Data on TB is compiled from at least 140 centres of the civic body. More than 500 private hospitals also report diseases on a daily basis to the Corporation. As part of the Zero TB Cities project, Chennai is required to drastically reduce mortality due to TB. Teams associated with the Clinton Health Access Initiative would help explore the Zero TB City approach.
Areas in north Chennai are likely to benefit more from the new initiative. The zones will build their locally appropriate plans to move towards ultimate elimination of TB. Officials will help communities realise the target of zero deaths from TB.
The project intends to actively search for people with TB, providing therapy to those infected and belonging to high-risk groups. TB transmission would be controlled by using tools for early and accurate diagnosis.
The project involves providing therapy
to those infected
and belonging to high-risk groups
