PMC’s TB drive detects 79 new patients in just 15 days

Pune: The civic body’s aggressive tuberculosis (TB) detection drive has led to detection of over 79 new cases in just 15 days in December. The civic body kick-started the drive post announcement by the district administration. In the wake of Covid pandemic, the civic authorities could not carry out their regular TB active cases detection drive which led to underreporting of cases this year.

Tuberculosis has a higher fatality rate than Covid and in 2020 alone as of November 24 Pune city reported 5,074 cases from private (36) and public (189) hospitals and 286 deaths were reported which means that the CFR due to TB was about 5.63%. In 2015, the city reported 4,465 new cases which went up to 6,632 in 2019.

PMC assistant health chief and TB programme head Dr Vaishali Jadhav said, “We had started the drive in specific areas, including congested pockets like slums and areas where cases are most likely to be detected. We check the sputum and conducted X-rays of suspected cases of TB after looking for possible symptoms like fever, weight loss and consistent cough for over two weeks. We have started treatment of these patients who would be followed up regularly so that they continue medication.”

The detection of TB cases is part of campaign which usually starts in October but could not be started this year. The campaign included detection of ‘hidden’ cases through their door-to-door survey and will be conducted in two phases. In the first half of the month the detection campaign will be active while in the second half the detected and confirmed patients would be followed up for treatment and medication.

Dr Sanjay Dabhade from Jan Aarogya Manch and a public health activist said, “It is a welcome step that PMC is considering the drive. Due to lack of attention due to the Covid19 pandemic on other ailments could mean that the mortality rate because of other ailments could go higher. With respect to tuberculosis, we need to study if the use of masks due to Covid lead to any prevention of TB too which is another respiratory ailment.”