1 in 4 infected with TB died in past 5 years
Tuberculosis (TB) killed 39,531 people in the city in the last five years, according to data released by the Praja Foundation.
Tuberculosis (TB) killed 39,531 people in the city in the last five years, according to data released by the Praja Foundation.
Public health experts said that the figure is just the tip of the iceberg, and indicates a large number of resistant TB cases in the population.
The report showed that the number of TB cases has been rising steadily, with 36,417 reported in 2012-13 as compared to 30,675 in 2011-12.
The data reveals that between 2008-09 and 2011-12, one in four people who had TB died.
“Add missing cases from private healthcare practitioners and Mumbai’s prognosis appears frightening,” said Nitai Mehta, founder-trustee of the NGO.
“It is being noticed that dengue and TB are prevalent as much, if not more, in higher income groups, who rarely visit government dispensaries or hospitals,” said Milind Mhaske from the NGO.
Among municipal wards, Andheri (East) had the most TB cases , followed by Kurla.
While the civic body is unconvinced by the data, an activist working for TB control said, “The mortality rate for drug-resistant TB is close to 40%, which means that a majority of those dying suffered from it.