A mobile van, launched under Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP), with all diagnostic facilities to detect tuberculosis, has been stationed inside the Government Pentland Hospital in Vellore.
The vehicle also boasts of Cartridge-Based Nucleic Acid Amplification Test(CBNAAT), a diagnostic tool that not only confirms the presence of TB bacteria, but also shows if the person has resistance to the antibiotic rifampicin.
“This will help us start the right course of treatment at an early stage and decrease chances of spread of drug resistant TB,” an official said.
Since Mobile Medical Units (MMUs) are an integral part of the general public health system, these units have the potential to detect TB cases among people who live in remote areas.
The District Collector, A. Shanmuga Sundaram, launched the services at Vellore on Wednesday, and said that tuberculosis is a major public health problem in India. TB diagnosis and treatment are available at all government health facilities through the RNTCP, some at-risk populations are unable to access these TB services, thus remaining undetected and untreated. The van services can be used to increase access to TB diagnosis and treatment in the communities they serve, he said.
Joint Director of Health Services, Yasmeen, and Deputy Director, Health Services (TB), P. Prakash Ayyappan, were also present.
