Agartala/Aizawl, Dec 9 (IANS) Several northeastern states on Monday launched the 100-day campaign focusing on quick detection and treatment of tuberculosis patients.
Launching the TB eradication campaign, officials in Aizawl said that at least 147 people have died due to this disease in Mizoram this year so far while 108 people died last year due to this disease in the northeastern state.
Health officials said that 2,164 people have been diagnosed with TB from among 24,017 samples tested between January and so far in December.
According to the officials, 80 per cent of the infected patients have been successfully cured of the disease.
Urging the people to come forward and support the state government in its campaign, state Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister B Lalchhanzova, who launched the campaign, stressed the united efforts of churches, NGOs and the community to eliminate the disease.
Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Monday launched the state-wide 100-day campaign on tuberculosis elimination in Bishalgarh under Sepahijala district.
He said that under the 100-day campaign focusing on quick detection and treatment of TB patients five districts from Tripura would be covered.
These districts are West Tripura, Sepahijala, South Tripura, Gomati, North Tripura and Unakoti.
Saha said that now there are good testing facilities available in the state and added that TB not only affects the lungs but it can infect other parts of the body.
“Proper screening should be done. It is also necessary to dispel the notion that only the poor get infected due to TB and the rich are immune to it,” he said.
State Health Secretary Kiran Gitte said that there are only 1700 active cases of TB in the state, at present and the X-ray checkup will be done free of cost in the state.
Those who are diagnosed positive for TB would get free treatment, he said.
The 100-day campaign also launched in Manipur, Meghalaya and other northeastern states.
Union Health and Family Welfare Minister J.P. Nadda on Saturday launched the nationwide 100-Day TB eradication campaign from Panchkula in Haryana.
–IANS
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