The incidence of tuberculosis (TB) is on the rise in Chittoor district, the home turf of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, with the prime reason being lack of awareness about symptoms of the disease coupled with complete negligence on the part of patients in following medical prescriptions.
Chittoor district headquarters hospital, where the main office of the TB control is situated, is far away from the western mandals which form the core group of the target. Over 200 villages and tribal thandas are located several miles away from national and state highways and patients from these areas have to travel long to reach the Public Health Centres (PHCs). Moreover, of the total 94 PHCs, half of the units do not have the facility to treat or provide medicines to the TB patients.
According to official figures, the number of patients afflicted with the disease in 2016 till June stood at 2,500 of the total 15,000 suspect cases. In 2014, the positive cases were 4,630 out of 28,568 cases screened. In 2015, the number of cases diagnosed with positive symptoms was 4,560 out of 28,873 who underwent screening tests. The medical authorities dealing with the TB division observe that the disease is gradually spreading its tentacles in the rural side, particularly among the poor socio-economic groups who have no access to nutritious food.
‘Patients non-cooperative’
District TB Control Officer G. Venkata Prasad told The Hindu that there was more than 20 per cent increase in the incidence of TB this year, with still six months to go, compared to the previous two years. “What is worrying is that the number of Multi-Drug Resistance (MDR) TB cases are increasing alarmingly. So far we have detected 171 cases this year. In spite of the tough regime of the medical treatment, we could effectively control the affliction levels in about 50 patients, while 46 others are put under perpetual medication. Unfortunately, many of the worst-hit patients are not cooperating with us, evading or refusing the medical attention,” Dr. Venkata Prasad said.
“All the patients have to compulsorily take seven kinds of tablets daily for several weeks. Until and unless the intake of medicines is followed strictly for a minimum of six months, the cure is a far cry,” Dr. Venkata Prasad observed.
Patients have to compulsorily take seven kinds of tablets daily. Unless medicines are taken strictly, the cure is a far cry.
G. Venkata Prasad
District TB Control Officer
