KOZHIKODE: Kerala has set a target to make itself tuberculosis-free by 2035, but the cold attitude of the private medical sector and the lack of mandatory screening system are hindering the efforts. The data available with the state TB cell reflects the declining TB cases over the years, but many patients have been left without monitoring. "A notification was issued to all private hospitals, clinics and alternative medicine practitioners to report all cases through the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme a year ago. But only a few cases are being reported," said a district TB officer. A pilot study conducted in Idukki and Wayanad districts found that nearly 20-25 new cases surface monthly.
“The private sector has been asked to list the cases on the government website, 'Nikshay'. As many as 8,621 private hospitals/clinics have already registered under the monitoring programme," said state TB officer Dr A.P. Parvathy. There is no consistent follow-up in the private sector. This leads to the increase of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis. “Private hospitals are yet to rise to the occasion and report the cases to RNTCP,” said Kozhikode TB officer Dr. P.P. Pramodkumar. The patients registered with RNTCP are given treatment through Directly Observed Therapy mode, where trained health care workers or other designated individuals provide the prescribed drugs and ensure that patients take every dose. But, the private hospitals lack such a mechanism.
The patients, especially in the rural aeras, are reluctant to take dosage continuously for six months. “Besides constant screening through health workers, schools are also being enlisted in the programme with children carrying home the message against TB,” added Ms Parvathy. According to the state TB cell, there were nearly 21,000 TB patients in 2016 with the maximum number being in Ernakulam, Palakkad and Thrissur.
