Three-day cricket tournament from May 18 to 20   to motivate health workers

Mysuru:  Mysuru is among the 10 districts in the country identified by the Union Government for total eradication of Tuberculosis (TB) by 2035, said Deputy Commissioner (DC) Abhiram G. Sankar.

Addressing a press meet at his office here this morning, the DC said that under the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP), the District Health and Family Welfare Department in association with the District TB Control Centre has initiated several measures for total eradication of TB.

The initiatives include Rs. 500 monthly financial assistance for TB patients, ensuring that TB patients taking treatment at Government, private and other hospitals complete the full course of medication and a slew of awareness programmes, he added.

Continuing, the DC said that a three-day cricket tournament will be organised from May 18 to 20 at JK Grounds in city, in which Health Department staff from various districts will take part. The tournament has been organised as a motivation for the staff of Health Department and other health workers, he said and added that several teams from the district and the State are expected to take part.

Pointing out that 4,856 TB cases were reported in the district in 2013, 4,501 in 2014, 4,549 in 2015, 4,327 in 2016, 4,100 in 2017, 4,634 in 2018 and 1,380 TB cases so far in 2019, the DC said that the average recovery percentage in the said years exceeded 81 percent.

District TB Eradication Officer Dr. Ravi said that a supporter agency involving public and private players has been  formed to collect statistics on TB patients.

Pointing out that the agency in association with Karnataka Health Promotion Trust (KHPT) will collect complete statistics of patients who are undergoing/undergone treatment in various hospitals, clinics, nursing homes and other medical facilities including Urban Primary Health Centres, Dr. Ravi said that two hubs — one at Apollo BGS Hospital and another at Narayana Multi-speciality Hospital — have been set up to receive reports from the agency.

Explaining the facilities available at PKTB Hospital in city and other District Hospitals for testing the sputum, he said that there are 43 acute cases of TB in the district which can be treated with two years of continuous medication.

Highlighting the measures taken to check the spread of TB, Dr. Ravi said that ‘No Spitting Areas’ have been notified in all hospitals and public spaces in the district.

District Health Officer (DHO) Dr. Venkatesh said that night fever for more than two weeks coupled with acute cough is a symptom of TB disease and the patients suffering from the symptoms must waste no time in visiting the nearby hospital.

Underlining the fact that a break-free medication as prescribed will go a long way in the eradication of the disease, the DHO highlighted the precautionary measures to be taken.