Journalism of Courage
Civic authorities on Wednesday warned doctors to report each and every TB case failing which their licence will not be renewed. With tuberculosis being declared a notified disease,doctors had already been told earlier to report each TB case they get for treatment,
The latest warning followed a meeting held by State health officers where the format and software for registration of TB cases came up for discussion. A unique identification number will be given to each TB patient.
Dr Pradeep Gaikwad,Joint Director,State,Tuberculosis and Leprosy,told Newsline that the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had declared TB a notifiable disease on May 7 and circulars were subsequently sent to districts to start reporting each case. Officials,via a video conference addressed by additional chief secretary (public health) Jayantkumar Banthia,on Wednesday reiterated the importance of reporting each TB case. Not only will a unique ID number be given to the TB patient but doctors will be warned that their licence will not be renewed if they did not report each case, Gaikwad said.
Every month,125-30 new TB cases are detected in the city, said Dr Dr N D Thakur,PMCs TB control unit officer. In Pune 1,516 new TB cases were detected in 2011-12.
As per the new directives,all doctors and health workers have been directed to report each case to the 58 dispensaries and 14 hospitals run by the PMC. Out of 26 Multi Drug Resistant TB cases in the city,13 were women. Letters have now been sent to Indian Medical Association and other medical bodies to encourage doctors to report each TB case.
While there are an approximate 1 lakh doctors,there is a sizeable number of homoeopaths and ayurvedic practitioners in the state. Gaikwad said it was compulsory to report each case of TB. Homoeopaths and ayurvedic practitioners will have to compulsory provide an annual declaration of the number of TB patients they treat.
In the state,1.34 lakh new TB cases were detected last year and laboratory confirmed cases of multi-drug resistant TB amounted to 2,300. We have also collected samples of XXDR TB (extensively drug resistant TB) and a total of 20 are positive in the state, Gaikwad said.
An effort to enrol private practitioners in the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP) has also been undertaken with the help of the Indian Medical Association.
Dr D K Shirole,state coordinator of the Global Fund for AIDS,TB and Malaria funded private public mix (PPM) project said more than 1,000 doctors have enrolled in the programme. Gaikwad said more than 4,000 private practitioners were enrolled with the state health department for reporting the case.
