Approximately 24.04 lakh TB patients were notified in 2019 (representation)
New Delhi:
India reported the highest number of 24.04 lakh of tuberculosis cases last year compared to around 26.9 lakh cases by the WHO, indicating that about three lakh patients missed the national tuberculosis program , according to an annual report on the disease released Wednesday.
India’s TB report for 2020 indicates that 79,144 TB deaths were reported in 2019, which is well below the WHO estimated lakh estimate of 4.4 deaths, according to officials.
According to them, the “missing cases” – the gap between the estimated incidences and the notified cases – have decreased considerably, going from more than 10 lakh in 2017 to 2.9 lakh in 2019 thanks to an increased engagement with the private sector of health and other initiatives.
About 24.04 lakh tuberculosis patients were notified in 2019, recording a 14% increase over the previous year, while the private sector recorded an increase of around 35% with 6.78 lakh tuberculosis patients notified, officials said.
Launching the annual report, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan praised the collective efforts of all involved in the task and said the government was determined to eliminate tuberculosis from the country by 2025 , five years ahead of the global target.
To align with this ambitious goal, the program has been renamed the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Program (RNTCP) to the National Tuberculosis Elimination Program (NTEP), he said.
Based on the state TB index score, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh were the top three states for TB control in the category of states with 50 lakh population.
Tripura and Nagaland were the best performers in the category of states with less than 50 lakh of population. Dadra and Nagar Haveli, and Daman and Diu were selected as the best performing Union territories.
“The ranking will surely encourage all states and the United States to improve their performance to achieve their goals. An early, accurate diagnosis followed by prompt, appropriate treatment is vital to ending TB. The national elimination program tuberculosis has expanded the network of laboratories as well as diagnostic facilities to cover the whole country, “said Vardhan.
Commenting on the stigma attached to tuberculosis patients in the country, which hinders the fight against the disease, Vardhan said: “As a nation, we must unite to fight tuberculosis and the stigma that surrounds it so that every TB patient can access dignity and without discrimination. The community must be a source of support and comfort for a patient. “
He stressed the crucial contribution that the private sector can make to the national tuberculosis control program through compulsory notification of tuberculosis and the provision of quality care.
The main feature of this year is that, for the first time, the Central Tuberculosis Division (CTD) presented a quarterly ranking of TB elimination efforts by all states and UT.
Link between treatments for drug-resistant tuberculosis patients, HIV testing in tuberculosis patients, nutritional assistance in the form of NIKSHAY Poshan Yojana (DBT), coverage of the universal drug sensitivity test (UDST) among notified patients, coverage of TB preventive therapy (TPT) and funding expenses are included in the evaluation criteria, said the Union’s Minister of Health.
According to the report, like trends from the previous year, more than half of the total number of TB cases were reported by five states – Uttar Pradesh 20%, Maharashtra 9%, Madhya Pradesh 8%, Rajasthan and Bihar 7% each.
Due to the easy availability of molecular diagnostics, the proportion of children diagnosed with tuberculosis increased to 8% in 2019 from 6% in 2018, the ministry said in a statement.
In addition, HIV testing for all notified TB patients increased from 67% in 2018 to 81% in 2019, he said.
The expansion of treatment services has resulted in a 12% improvement in the treatment success rate of notified patients. For 2019, it is 81% compared to 69% the previous year.
(With the exception of the title, this story was not edited by GalacticGaming staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
