AIIMS Bhubaneswar Reaches Out To Community On TB Awareness

Bhubaneswar: Post-COVID normalisation of the healthcare system has accelerated newly diagnosed TB cases. At AIIMS Bhubaneswar, 674 new TB cases have been detected in the year 2022 in comparison to 521 cases in the preceding year. On average, 60 new TB cases are detected every month at the hospital, informed experts on the occasion of World TB Day on Friday.

Early detection and proper treatment can reduce the burden of TB. As per Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan, nutritional support for TB patients has been provided at AIIMS Bhubaneswar, said Executive Director of the institute Dr Ashutosh Biswas. Similarly, as per Ni-kshay Poshan Yojana, TB patients are getting Rs. 500 per month till treatment continues. Multi-Drug Resistance (MDR) TB is a challenge in combating the fight for eliminating TB. Last year, for the first time in nearly two decades, WHO reported an increase in the number of people falling ill with TB and drug-resistant TB, alongside an increase in deaths, added Dr Biswas. He also emphasised on managing extra-pulmonary TB which is also a substantial burden of the disease.

Moderating the programme, Pulmonary Medicine Department Head and DEAN AIIMS Bhubaneswar Dr P R Mohapatra said that Tuberculosis remains one of the world’s top infectious killers, causing 1.6 million deaths each year and affecting millions more, with enormous impacts on families and communities. The COVID-19 pandemic coupled with ongoing crises such as armed conflict, food insecurity, climate change, political and economic instability, has reversed years of progress made in the fight against TB.

Microbiology Department Head Dr Baijayantimala Mishra informed about the free-of-cost DNA test i.e CBNAAT and True-NAT at AIIMS Bhubaneswar.

Among others, Registrar B B Mishra along with senior faculties, students and employees attended the programme. Medical Officer DOTS Centre Dr Sarada Prasanna Mishra, TBHV DOTS Centre Arpan Mishra coordinated the event.

Reaching out to the community, the Department of Community Medicine and Family Medicine, AIIMS Bhubaneswar also organised an awareness programme at Behera Basti (Ward No-25), Nayapalli to eliminate TB. Dr Binod Kumar Behera and Dr Prajna Paramita Giri delivered health education on TB symptoms and related stigma to TB and discussed treatment and diagnosis of Tuberculosis with the help of visual charts. Local corporator Manasi Rani Sundaray and ASHA worker Rasmita Prusty were felicitated on the occasion. Members from Maa Mangala and Omm Shanti Mahila Arogya Samiti, local residents of the urban slum participated in the programme.

The programme ended with the real-life story of a TB Champion Pramod Nayak. The TB champion explained various social stigmas he faced during his treatment period. After successfully completing treatment for TB, he is living a normal life.