TB’s tenacity worries despite high rate of successful treatment

SAGAR CHHETRI
GANGTOK: Despite a very high rate of successful treatment, the tenacity of the number of tuberculosis cases detected in the State every year has become a matter of serious concern for the society at large and the concerned authorities. The State Tuberculosis Cell has been recording around 1,700 new cases of TB every year, the consistency of this number being worrying. On the brighter side though, most of the cases are cured through the DOTS method of treatment.
This problem of the numbers not falling is not unique to Sikkim and also grips the country and other parts of the world, it is learnt. To marshal people's support  to contain this disease, 24 March is observed as the World Tuberculosis Day every year.

On this occasion today, an awareness campaign was organised by the State Tuberculosis Cell of the Health Department on the theme, “On the move against TB”, here at St Paul’s Church Hall at 6th Mile, Tadong.
The programme was well attended by residents from in and around 5th Mile and 6th Mile areas along with the students from Tadong Senior Secondary School and Lumsey Government School.
Director, Health Department, Dr JJD Pradhan, was present as the chief guest, accompanied by the State TB Officer, Dr Rinzing Dorjee, along with doctors and officials from the State TB Cell.
During the programme, DOTS Providers of in and around Gangtok were felicitated by the State TB Cell for their voluntary contribution and tireless dedicated efforts in their respective areas.
Dr Pradhan lauded the work done by DOTS Providers around the State by calling them the ‘Unsung Heroes’ of the battle against tuberculosis.
There are around 600 DOTS Providers in Sikkim, offering voluntary service in their respective areas after receiving a 2-day training from the department.
He urged the people to come forward to deliver on their responsibility to the mission to arrest the spread of tuberculosis in the State.
The State TB Officer, in turn, mentioned that due to various factors, tuberculosis cases recorded in Sikkim have not climbed down despite the best of efforts.
He stressed that various factors were responsible for the persistence of this disease and that it would need to be discussed at different platforms before it can be brought under control.
He urged the people not to hide the disease but to come forward and approach the department to access proper treatment and medicines free of cost.
During the programme, Dr Gyanendra Cintury, Dr Kabita Khati and Dr Kamala Pariyar and Dr Nirmal Gurung of the State TB Cell interacted with the participants on various tuberculosis related topics.
The programme was also addressed by IEC Officer, Vivek Pradhan and Assistant Programme Officer, Narendra Sharma of the State TB Cell.
The programme included a quiz competition on tuberculosis.
The state detects around 1,700 TB cases every year and there are 268 registered and under-treatment MDR cases at present. These, it was informed, have accumulated since 2005 due to incomplete or irregular treatment.
Dr Dorjee further informed that DOTS was offered at every health centre around the State where patients were provided treatment and medicines free of cost.
He pointed out that the department has recorded a high cure rate of more than 95%, but rued that due to irregular and incomplete treatment, MDR cases have also been recorded.
He informed that now the TB Cell was working on the MDR Systematic programme and was in the process to setting up a separate laboratory.
It was also informed that the State TB Cell was launching DOTS Plus Standardized Regime as per the central government guidelines and had already sent doctors and specialists to Hyderabad for training.