Karnataka government launches drive to eradicate tuberculosis

BENGALURU: The health and family welfare department has urged the over 28 lakh people in Karnataka who have recovered from Covid-19 to undergo voluntary testing to rule out tuberculosis infection. The state government is conducting a special TB test drive across Karnataka from August 16 to August 31.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday after initiating the ‘active TB surveillance drive’, health minister K Sudhakar said TB was detected in some people who had recovered from Covid and the state has launched a surveillance programme to enable early interventional treatment.
“I request those who have recovered from Covid-19 and their family members to get screened for TB. Both TB and Covid-19 primarily affect the lungs,” said Sudhakar.
Since 2017, a total of 75 lakh people have been mapped under a TB surveillance programme and more than 60,000 of them were tested for TB. About 3.9 % were found infected. However, TB tests have reduced during the pandemic, Sudhakar said. The central government has set a deadline of 2025 to rid the country of TB.
Active surveillance for the disease will also be taken up in slums where economically weaker sections of the society live, he said. Besides, the state government has decided to screen an estimated 1.5 crore children in the 0-18 years age group as there are apprehensions that a possible third wave of Covid-19 infection will affect this group the most. Children are currently not eligible to take Covid-19 vaccines.
Sudhakar said the chief minister will also launch ‘Arogya Nandana’, a drive under which children with lower immunity and other comorbidities will be identified and they will be provided with nutritious food and supplements to boost immunity. All precautionary measures will be taken to monitor their health, Sudhakar said.
K’taka to seek more doses
The state government will seek additional vaccine supply from the central government, said Sudhakar. “We have set an ambitious target to fully inoculate the entire eligible adult population in the state by December. I will soon visit Delhi to seek additional supply of vaccines for our state,” he said.
While 25% of the doses allocated to Karnataka are meant for the private sector, private hospitals have not used even 50% of these doses. The government is having discussions with corporate companies to explore possibilities of companies procuring doses under CSR and providing it to the state government. “This will significantly accelerate the vaccination drive,” he said.
Speaking about the sad demise of a couple from Mangaluru who committed suicide fearing Covid-19 complications, the health minister said people should not panic if they get infected.