Mass Screening Effort Uncovers Thousands of TB Cases
The 100-day national Anti-TB Drive, which ran from December 7 to March 24, successfully identified 40,471 new TB cases in Maharashtra. Healthcare workers screened over 1.37 crore people across 53 regions, marking a significant effort in early detection and prevention.
TB Detection and Tracking Through Nikshay Portal
In 2023, Maharashtra recorded 2,30,515 TB cases. Officials have now uploaded details of the newly detected 40,471 patients to the Centre’s Nikshay Portal, a system designed to track TB patients and their treatment progress.
Next-Generation Cy-TB Tests Aid in Early Diagnosis
As reported by TOI, Maharashtra has introduced Cy-TB skin tests, an advanced diagnostic tool for TB detection. So far, the state has conducted over 35,000 Cy-TB tests across select districts to identify infections at an early stage.
Dr. Usha Gaddam, a general physician at Apollo Clinic, emphasized the importance of early detection:
“Early detection of TB means identifying infection in people who don’t always show symptoms. It breaks transmission chains by enabling quick identification and isolation of infected individuals, thus preventing further spread within communities.”
Strengthening Maharashtra’s TB Infrastructure
Dr. Sandeep Sangale, Joint Director of Health (TB), Maharashtra, outlined the state’s robust infrastructure for implementing the National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP):
“Maharashtra’s 36 revenue districts have been divided into 80 NTEP districts. To enhance diagnosis, we have 2,025 designated microscopic centres and 795 Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (NAAT) machines. Additionally, each district has fixed X-ray machines, and we have deployed 99 hand-held X-ray devices. To combat drug-resistant TB (DRTB), we operate 21 nodal centres and 42 district TB centres. Our goal is to ensure timely detection and treatment of every TB case.”
Call for More TB-Specific Hospitals and Isolation Wings
Dr. Rishabh Raj, Critical Care Consultant at KJ Somaiya Hospital & Research Centre, urged the state to establish dedicated TB hospitals with isolation wings to manage multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB).
“Patients should remain in isolation wings throughout their treatment period. Regular community-level awareness programs should educate people about the importance of hand hygiene and masking. Anyone experiencing a persistent cough, fever, weight loss, or loss of appetite for more than two weeks should be encouraged to see a doctor. Early and appropriate treatment is the best way to prevent TB at the community level.”
A Step Closer to TB Elimination
Maharashtra’s 100-day Anti-TB Drive highlights the state’s commitment to early detection, advanced diagnostics, and infrastructure development. Moving forward, experts stress the need for continuous screening, better treatment facilities, and stronger public awareness to eliminate TB effectively.