TB made notifiable disease in Sikkim

GANGTOK, 18 June: Tuberculosis [TB] was declared “a notifiable disease” by the Indian government on 07 May earlier this year. Following this, the Department of Health Care, Human Services and Family Welfare, Government of Sikkim has also issued an office order today stating that all TB cases are now “notifiable” and that all health institutions and all health care providers will comply with the 07 May notification with immediate effect. 
This means that all private doctors, caregivers and clinics treating a patient suffering from TB will now have to report every single case of TB to the government. More than 60% of the country’s population first visit a private practitioner when it comes to TB treatment. Since the private sector was till now outside the purview of the RNTCP [Revised National TB Control Programme], complete information on TB was lacking.
The private sector plays a vital role in the spread of drug resistance which has become a menace in the country. Making TB a “notifiable” disease could also bring about some sort of regulation in the private sector and address the issue of rising drug resistance in the state as well.
India lags far behind in comparison to China, second after India in terms of prevalence of TB, when it comes to accurate information on the disease. China has the world's largest internet-based disease reporting system. This has also led to an increase in its effectiveness to control the spread of the disease made evident by the decline in the number of TB cases in China.
Correct information could translate into proper management and cure of the lethal disease and making it “a notifiable disease” if implemented properly is a step forward.