Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, January 22 2010:
A centre to diagnose Multi Drug Resistant TB (MDRTB) would be opened at Imphal with the current year, said State TB Cell 2nd MO Dr Ingocha.
Speaking at an annual review meeting organised by the State TB Cell on Revised National TB Control Programme and Collaborative Activities with MACS (on TB/HIV) and NRHM for 2009, Dr Ingocha said that doctors faced various difficulties in diagnosing MDRTB for the last many years.
To identify the disease, patients were sent outside the state.
Nonetheless, MDRTB can be diagnosed in Manipur by the middle of this year.
For this, necessary infrastructure would be installed at Imphal under the joint initiative of National Rural Health Mission and National TB Division.
Dr Ingocha elucidated that MDRTB is a phase in the life of a TB patient where they become resistant to drugs due to irregularity in taking TB drugs under DOTS (Directly Observed Treatment Short Course).
A patient suffering from MDRTB cannot be treated by DOTS method.
District level reports were presented by District TB Officers at the annual review meeting.
The inauguration function of the review meeting was attended by Family Welfare Regional Director Dr N Inaoba, State TB Officer Dr O Manihar and NRHM State Facilitator Dr K Latashori as chief guest, president and guest of honour respectively.
Health and Family Welfare Commissioner V Vulumang and MACS Project Director (Technical) Kh Pramodkumar were also present in the afternoon session.
V Vulumang pointed that staff of district RNTCP have great responsibility in diagnosing TB at district level.
Contract basis staff would be given the advantage of extending their service according to their performance.
Pramodkumar said that TB patients are highly vulnerable to HIV.
He exhorted that all TB patients should undergo HIV test.
State TB Officer Dr O Manihar said that 52 percent of patients have been identified.
The percentage of identification is low in Senapati and Thoubal districts.