"TB Free Senapati Project" meeting held at Senapati
Source: Chronicle News Service

Senapati, March 13 2023: In an innovative approach towards elimination of tuberculosis (TB) in Senapati district, the district TB department, ICMR-NIRT Chennai, Directorate of Health Service and NHM, Senapati together with district CSOs comprising students and women organisations held a joint meeting at DRDA Conference Hall, here on Monday.

Senapati is the only hill district in Manipur where particularly vulnerable tribal group (primitive tribe) resides.

The district has 8 sub-divisions with tribals making up 87.S percent of the population and 98.44 per cent settling in rural areas.

As per the 2011 census, there are 2,85,404 people in the district.

TB is a communicable disease and is one of the leading causes of death worldwide.

According to latest India TB report, 2022, the total number of TB patients (new & relapse) notified during 2021 was 19,33,381.TB kills approximately 4,80,000 Indians every year, which is more than 1,400 every day (National Strategic Plan 2017-2025) .

The central government came up with NSP 2017-25 addressing those hard to reach groups and recommended active case finding (ACF) among them as a strategy to detect the "missing" because TB patients who go undetected or are not treated can be a potential threat to TB control efforts as they can contribute more to an uninterrupted transmission of the disease.

However, a state like Manipur has not conducted separate ACF activity based on India TB Report 2019 & 2020 .

Briefing about the project during the meeting, ICMR-NIRT Chennai scientist Dr A Stephen, informed that a "Senapati District Model Project" has been initiated to involve students and women organisations as volunteers to help in finding TB cases in their respective villages by going door to door, collect sputum, transport the collected sputum to NTEP centre for testing and to help in monitoring treatment adherence.

The volunteers will get the opportunity to serve the society in controlling and eliminating TB from the society as social benefit, he added.

Dr Stephen also said that the CSOs can actively involve in TB programme and for this they need not be health specialists, but just a willingness to learn the basics of TB and to link to government TB services.

He then urged all to join hands to eliminate TB from the society.

Addressing the gathering, DC (Senapati) Mahesh Chaudhari called the project an opportunity for the department concerned and district CSOs to come together as a team and work wonders with the support of the district administration.

The deputy commissioner (DC) also asked the health authority to come up with TB appropriate behaviour/IEC material in line with COVID appropriate behaviour for effective control/awareness of TB in the society.

Meanwhile, RN Hannah, who is president of Senapati District Women Association, urged all to consider the project for the benefit of all and to work together for TB-free Senapati in near future.

During his welcome address, Peter Yonuo, president Senapati District Students' Association, exuded confidence that such project could reach far-flung areas of the district to ensure TB-free district.

Discussion and planning session was led by Pung Mark, ex-president SDSA, who requested all CSO leaders to nominate volunteers from their respective villages before March 17, 2023 .

The meeting concluded with a vote of thanks by Dr L Muanching, DTO NTEP, Senapati.

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