‘Increase in rate of TB cases shows better awareness’

CHENNAI: There has been a 20 point increase in the rate of active TB cases reported per 10 lakh population in the private and public sector in Tamil Nadu in the past one year. But the state health department is not shy about announcing it, because the spike indicates early detection and a chance to arrest the spread of infection.
“We have been detecting more cases in the past few months.This is a good sign. Early detection is not just about better treatment, it also means the spread of infection has been prevented,” said R Senthil Raj, project director, TN AIDS Control Society, who is also the state commissioner for prevention of TB.
The state health department released statistics that showed annualized TB case notification went up from 133 per 10 lakh in 2017 to 152 in 2018. At least 14,000 more cases were reported in 2018 compared to the previous year. With the TB free Chennai programme becoming active, case notification rate in January and February 2019 went up to 178. In the public sector, the notification went up by 25 points to 131 in two months. In the private sector, the case notification rate has nearly doubled in the past two years.
A combination of reasons such as early diagnosis by government workers making home visits, hospitals and pharmacies reporting cases in private sector and offer of financial benefits of up to Rs 500 a month to TB patients has led to the increase in detection rates. The state has also invested in better equipment for early diagnosis. “The biggest worry is nearly 2% of the patients are resistant to first line of therapy. It means they will need a broader spectrum antibiotics. If they are not treated on time they can spread the drug-resistant strain,” he said.
India accounts for about a quarter of the global TB cases. It has the highest number of both TB and drug resistant TB cases, besides having the second highest number of HIV-associated TB cases. This year’s World TB Day theme ‘It’s Time’, indicates the urgent need for accelerated efforts to put a stop to the disease.
On Friday, WHO chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan said the average detection time in several districts across the country is three months. “By this time they would have passed on the infection to 10 others. Although most have a latent infection, at least one of them will start showing symptoms. So, early diagnosis and adherence to drugs is vital,” she said.
To ensure patients registered under government hospitals and receiving free drugs take medication on time, the state will roll out the 99DOTS programme in July. Patients will have to pop the pills and give a missed call on a designated number on the tablet sleeve. The number will be visible only when the medicine is taken out. When the call is not made, the treating doctor or health worker will be alerted.