Mysore/Mysuru: The District Health and Family Welfare Department, in association with District Tuberculosis (TB) Control Centre, had organised a cycle rally in city this morning to mark ‘World TB Day.’

The World Health Organisation (WHO) theme of World TB Day-2022 is ‘Invest to End TB. Save Lives.’ It conveys the urgent need to invest resources to ramp up the fight against TB and achieve the commitments to end TB.

Over 80 Health staff and volunteers took part in the cycle rally which commenced at 8.40 am in front of Kote Anjaneyaswamy Temple, Palace North Gate.

District Health Officer (DHO) Dr. K.H. Prasad flagged off the 5-km rally which passed through Clock Tower, Prabha Theatre, J.K Grounds, JLB Road, Ramaswamy Circle, Chamaraja Double Road and Hardinge Circle before culminating at the starting point.

Speaking after flagging off the rally, Dr. Prasad said: “The Central Government has set a goal to eliminate TB from the country by 2025 through its National TB Elimination Programme. In this regard, every year various awareness programmes and health camps are being organised for people.”

“Mysuru district every year reports over 4,000 new TB cases. 3,700 TB cases were detected last year. While treating the old patients who were diagnosed with TB the previous years, new cases being reported each year is a great challenge for the Health workers. In all, 8 to 10 percent of people — nearly 360 people — in the district are dying due to TB,” he said.

Stating that one TB infected patient can spread the disease to 40 people, DHO said: “People who have cough for more than 15 days even after taking antibiotic must immediately visit nearby Government or Private Hospitals and get themselves tested. They must undergo rapid sputum tests where the results will come in 2 to 3 days. There are CBNAAT instruments in K.R. Hospital and Epidemic Diseases Hospital which helps in detection of TB immediately.”

“The severity of TB is categorised in three phases. People who are detected with Phase-I TB must be treated for 6 months while people who are detected with Phase-II and III must be treated continuously for 6 to 9 months. People with Phase-I can be cured at the earliest if they receive treatment strictly for 3 months continuously. Whoever is detected positive for TB will be monitored just like COVID patients. All the people in contact with TB infected person will be traced, tested and treated if found infected,” Dr. Prasad explained.

Reasoning about why there is an increase in the number of TB patients every year, DHO said that “Infected people take treatment for two months and stop the treatment soon they find slight improvement in health. This increases the chances of re-infection which is even more dangerous. Such people need higher antibiotics which costs up to Rs. 1 lakh. Usually, the treatment must be taken for 6 to 9 months. The Health Department is ready to treat such patients,” he continued.

“Nikshay Poshan Yojana is a Central Government Scheme that provides Rs. 500 per month for all TB patients. People should not neglect their health and must be aware of their surroundings. Consulting doctors immediately helps in reducing the spread of TB. It is the duty of all the people to be aware of the disease and create awareness about the same to one another and cooperate in eliminating TB from the country by 2025,” DHO said.

Department of Health and Family Welfare-Divisional Joint Director Dr. M.R. Udaykumar, District TB Control Officer Dr. Mohammed Shiraz Ahmed, Reproductive and Child Health Officer (RCHO) Dr. Jayanth and others were present.