Chandigarh among top in combating TB

Chandigarh, Dec 19 (UNI) With the default rate in tuberculosis treatment at three per cent in comparision to seven per cent at the national level, Chandigarh has been consistently ranking amongst the top performing states in the management of the dreaded disease.

According to UT Health Services Director Dr Manjit Singh Bains, the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP) has been combating tuberculosis with quality diagnosis and treatment in the UT so as to prevent the spread of the disease by infected persons.

Special care has been taken to give priority to slum areas, he added.

''Lives of more than 1800 patients have been saved since launching of RNTCP in Chandigarh in January 2002 and more than 10,000 patients have been put on treatment,'' Dr Bains said.

''The authorities try to keep an eye on the patients, specially from the poor sections and encourage them to continue the full treatment even if the symptoms abate. This appraoch has helped us keep the default rate low,'' he said.

Dr Bains said that Rural Development, Panchayat and Social Welfare Departments had also been involved for organising medical check-up camps and health 'melas' to create awareness about symptoms of tuberculosis (TB) in urban slum areas.

The on-line monitoring of the referred cases and feedback of their status was transparent and nearly 3000 patients diagnosed in Chandigarh had been referred for treatment to various states where they permanently reside, he added.

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