A team of experts from the central tuberculosis division of the ministry of health and family welfare has asked the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to collect data of tuberculosis (TB) patients from chemists and register patients on Ni-kshay portal. The civic and district health authorities have been asked to increase notification of tuberculosis cases from private sector, said officials.
A four-member team from the central TB division was on a two-day visit to Pune (December 4-5) to monitor the elimination programmes implemented in the district. The Union government has launched a TB-free India Campaign to eradicate tuberculosis from India by 2025.
Dr Bhagwan Pawar, PMC health officer, said, “The notification of TB patients from private hospitals in Pune is satisfactory but we have been asked to increase it. The team has found laxity on the part of chemists to notify cases. The pharmacies and chemists dispensing anti-tuberculosis drugs have to notify patients along with details of medicines and a copy of the prescriptions electronically or in hard copy to the health department. However, very few chemists follow it.”
Dr Pawar said that patients identified through data collection will be reported on Ni-kshay and brought under the TB elimination programme.
“We will also request the Food and Drug Administration to monitor the sale of anti-TB drugs covered under Schedule H1 of Drugs and Cosmetics Act,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}“We will also request the Food and Drug Administration to monitor the sale of anti-TB drugs covered under Schedule H1 of Drugs and Cosmetics Act,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}Dr Balkrishna Kamble, district TB officer, said the team visited private hospitals in Daund, Khed and Maval tehsils, besides government hospitals.
“We have been asked to increase the notification of TB cases from private hospitals and have written to private practitioners and doctors’ associations to notify patients without fail,” he said, adding that the central team also suggested to immediately fill vacant post in the TB elimination programme.