Correct, early diagnosis and treatment crucial to eliminating TB by 2025: Doctors

U.P. accounts for one-fifth of the TB deaths in India and if one can track all the cases and get the correct diagnosis and medicines then the target of eliminating the disease can be achieved by 2025

The target to eliminate Tuberculosis (TB) by 2025 can only be achieved with early and correct diagnosis followed by complete treatment, said doctors at a press conference on Wednesday.

Doctors said that despite efforts by the government, doctors and social organisations, still not all TB cases have been accounted for in U.P. (Pic for representation)

“U.P. accounts for one-fifth of the TB deaths in India, which translates to more than nine deaths every hour. In the present scenario, if we can track all the TB cases and get the correct diagnosis and medicines, we can achieve our target of eliminating the disease,” said Dr Rajendra Prasad, director of medical education and head of pulmonary medicine at Era’s Medical College.

Dr BP Singh, director of Midland Health Care and Research Centre, said, “UP reports 20% of total notified TB cases in India. The estimated mortality rate among all forms of TB was 37 per 100,000 of the population (34-40 per 100,000 population) in 2020, as per the Global TB Report 2021.”

Dr Ravi Bhaskar, professor, Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Career Institute of Medical Sciences and Hospitals and Dr Rajneesh Kumar Srivastava, Consultant Pulmonologist- Medanta Hospital also spoke during the press conference.

Doctors said that despite efforts by the government, doctors and social organisations, still not all TB cases have been accounted for in the state.

“It has to be understood by people that there are the best facilities available for TB diagnosis and treatment. We can stop TB if all the patients come in for treatment,” said Dr Prasad.