Multidrug-resistant TB stays a challenge in Haryana

Parveen Arora

Tribune News Service

Karnal, December 1

For tuberculosis cure, Karnal is among the top districts of the state with 89 per cent treatment success rate and 104 per cent detection rate.

However, the detection of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) remains a challenge for the district’s health department.

The district has 2,009 active TB patients while 58 MDR-TB cases have been detected so far this year. The treatment of patients sensitive to drugs is about six months while MDR-TB treatment can stretch from nine months to two years depending on the type of resistance.

Causes of MDR-TB

• Incomplete treatment
• Frequent interruptions in treatment
• Indiscriminate use of anti-microbial drugs/antibiotics

Carelessness on the part of patients for not continuing the medicine and frequent interruptions in treatment are considered major reasons behind MDR-TB.

This year, the health department detected 4,442 TB patients. Of them, 2,433 have been treated. In 2020 and 2019, the department had detected 3,428 and 3,701 cases, respectively.

The authorities say TB is curable if detected timely and treated promptly. “We have launched an intensive screening for timely detection of patients. TB is curable, but it should be detected timely,” said Dr Simmi Kapoor, Deputy Civil Surgeon. “We have machines at District TB Centre, Gharaunda Community Health Centre and Assandh sub-divisional hospital to help in the early detection of the disease,” she said.

Dr Yogesh Sharma, Civil Surgeon, said: “We conduct awareness and screening campaigns time to time. We appeal to the people to seek medical help if they find any symptoms of TB, including cough for more than two weeks, low-grade fever, weight loss and night sweat.”