RNTCP Society celebrates World TB Day under Akshay Project

Ferozepur, March 26, 2013: World TB Day was celebrated in association with Project of Revised National TB Control Programme (RNTCP) Society under Akshay Project at SBS Nursing College. 

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease caused by a Bacterium, Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It is spread through the air by a person suffering from TB. A single patient can infect 10 or more people in a year.

Controlling TB in India is a tremendous challenge. The TB burden in India is still staggering. Every year, 1.8 million persons develop the disease, of which about 800,000 are infectious; and, until recently, 370,000 died of it annually —1,000 every day. The disease is a major barrier to social and economic development. An estimated 100 million workdays are lost due to illness. Society and the country also incur a huge cost due to TB—nearly US$ 3 billion in indirect costs and US$ 300 million in direct costs.

Presently two persons are dying every three minutes from TB in our country and as per the statistics, about 430 TB patients are added every month in Ferozepur District and there are about 160 patients are such who have symptoms of TB in sputum which is a cause of concern of spreading the disease. 

These views were expressed by Manjeet Singh Narang, deputy commissioner, Ferozepur at the programme organised on World TB Day at SBS Nursing College, Sodhe Wala in association with Akshay Project of Revised National TB Control Programme (RNTCP) Society.

Deputy Commissioned shared with the audience that the one persons suffering from TB affects about 10 to 15 people in the society and in Ferozepur District itself, about 255 patients are put on TB DOTS  (Directly Observed Treatment Shortcourse, medicine every month.  In fact, most of the TB affected people go in for private treatment whereas the RNTCP Society is having a better treatment through DOTS medicine which is available with the government institutions only, he added.

The DOTS strategy is cost-effective and is today the international standard for TB control programmes. To date, more than 180 countries are implementing the DOTS strategy. India has adapted and tested the DOTS strategy in various parts of the country since 1993, with excellent results, and by March, 2006 nationwide DOTS coverage has been achieved

He further said, in case the person is having cough for more than two week, he can get himself checked up from the government hospital free of cost and in case the TB is detected, a free treatment is done through DOTS system for 6 to 9 months period, which is given in the presence of employees of the government institutions.  On this occasion, a calendar of Akshay Project was also released besides giving a green signal to the TB Awareness Rally.