HIV+ people eight times more vulnerable to TB
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, March 22 2014 :
People living with HIV (PLHIV) are eight times more vulnerable to TB bacteria as compared to a normal person and there is a growing need for opening a DITB site at Imphal, stated State TB Officer Dr Y Gopalkrishna.
Speaking to media persons at RD Wing today ahead of the 33rd World TB Day (March 24), Gopalkrishna said that TB test as well as necessary treatment are being done free of cost in the State under the Revised National TB Control Programme (RNTBCP).
There are 54 designated Microscopy centres in Manipur for testing TB infection.
If any one is suspicious of TB infection, they may get themselves tested at these centres.
People who have been found TB positive are being given free treatment at 880 DOT (Directly Observed Treatment) centres, said Dr Gopalkrishna.
For conducting sputum test of TB patients who have become drug resistant, there is an Immediate Reference Laboratory at Imphal.
Again, people who have been found infected with Drug Resistant TB (DRTB) are given free treatment under Programme Manageable Drug Resistant TB (PMDRTB).
Highlighting the global efforts to control and eradicate Mycobacterium Tuberculosis, Dr Gopalkrishna called upon all TB patients to avail the free treatment facilities given by the Government.
He also called upon people suspecting TB infection to get themselves tested free of cost.
Prolonged coughing, weight loss, rise in body temperature during daytime, coughing with blood, chest pain and loss of appetite are some common symptoms of TB.
If any one is suffering from these symptoms, they may get themselves tested for TB infection.
One formidable hurdle in the struggle to eradicate TB bacteria is the high vulnerability of PLHIV to TB bacteria, stated the State TB Officer.
PLHIV are eight times more vulnerable to TB bacteria as compared to an uninfected person.
Almost 60 per cent of the TB patients were first infected by TB bacteria before they were infected by AIDS.
Given the high prevalence of AIDS in the State, it is crucial to take up all possible measures to avoid HIV and TB co-infection, said Dr Gopalkrishna.
For DRTB patients, there is a DRTB site at Churachandpur.
Efforts are on to open a similar site at JNIMS.
At present, 88 DRTB patients are undergoing treatment in the State.
Except for the people of Churachandpur and surrounding areas, DRTB patients of other areas undergoing treatment at their homes as there is no other site than the one at Churachandpur.
All DRTB patients should stay in hospital for at least week for necessary observation and investigation.
As such there is a growing need for opening a DRTB site at Imphal, observed Dr Gopalkrishna.
Under RNTBCP, 41778 people of the State were found TB positive till 2013.So far, 51022 people (including those who got repeated treatment) have been given TB treatment.
While 44176 TB positive people have been treated successfully, 1616 have succumbed to TB.
WHO (Assam, Manipur and Meghalaya) consultant Dr Pankaj and a number of TB officers were also present at the press meet.