Commitment to weed out TB should be similar to one adopted during COVID – 19 say experts
Lucknow: We have to make efforts to eliminate TB in the same way that one adopted unity and solidarity in combating COVID. Now the time has come that with the same solidarity, we also have to end the spread of a serious disease like TB. The laboratories, equipment and surveillance system established for TB disease have played an important role in dealing with the Covid epidemic said experts at KGMU on World Tuberculosis Day seminar.
These views were expressed by experts at a one-day update function organized by the Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care, KGMU, on the occasion of World TB Day. Experts said that by doing new research, new medicines and equipment will have to be prepared for TB, so that the treatment of TB can be successful and its spread (mainly multidrug resistant TB) can be stopped.
Various prominent chest and TB specialists and medical students of the country and the state participated in this event. The update started with the opening ceremony. Vice-Chancellor Lt. Gen. Dr. Bipin Puri, Pro-Vice-Chancellor Dr. Vineet Sharma, Dean Dr. AK Tripathi, Former Head of Department Dr. Rajendra Prasad, Head of Department of Respiratory Medicine Dr. Surya Kant and Head of Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Dr. Ved Prakash participated in the ceremony.
In Uttar Pradesh, through the able guidance and leadership of the Governor, thousands of TB children have been adopted for better and holistic care. Adoption of COVID friendly behavior by the people will go a long way in the prevention of TB. Children suffering from TB disease are being adopted under the leadership of the Governor, thereby facilitating their treatment. In this series, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine has also facilitated the treatment of 24 children from different villages by adopting them and providing them health-related assistance.
The Chief Guest and Vice Chancellor emphasized on the strategies being adopted to eliminate the menace of TB in India by 2025. Dr. Prashant Bajpai, Professor of Community Medicine, shared his thoughts on the burden of TB disease in India and the future challenges in overcoming the disease.
Dr. RAS Kushwaha, Professor, Respiratory Medicine, KGMU, Lucknow, discussed the symptoms and treatment of TB infection in organs other than the lungs.
Dr. Ved Prakash threw light on the treatment of drug sensitive tuberculosis. He emphasized on the need to take TB medicine regularly and complete the course. He also stressed on the need for HIV testing in TB patients and their proper treatment. Professor and Head of Department Microbiology Dr. Amita Jain gave information about new and advanced techniques to identify TB disease. Dr Rajendra Prasad shared his knowledge on the topic of drug resistant TB and how we can move towards a universal TB drug course against all types of TB.
Dr. Alok Nath, Professor and Head, Pulmonary Medicine, SGPGI, Lucknow, spoke on the Indian perspective regarding treatment to prevent TB. He emphasized on ways to prevent TB for people with low immunity such as HIV patients, children under one year of age and children under 5 years of age who have come in close contact with TB patients. Dr. Suryakant spoke about the fight against TB under the National Tuberculosis Eradication Program and the important role of medical colleges in achieving the goal of TB elimination.
The goal of the World Health Organization is to reduce the prevalence of TB by 80 percent and the death due to TB by 90 percent by the year 2030. For this, all the governments of the world should adopt such a strategy with a high level of commitment and funding, so that the population most vulnerable to TB infection, such as socially and economically backward people, should provide awareness and health support for TB disease. So that the spread of TB can be reduced and TB patients can be treated well. While the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is TB-free India by 2025.
