The fight against TB must be intensified | Ramesh Sarraf Dhamora

(Special on 24 March World TB Day)

India has been battling a disease called TB for quite some time. But now a scary study has come out regarding TB. India is expected to have 60 million TB cases and 8 million deaths between 2021 and 2040, according to a study in the journal Plus Medicine. According to the study, India is likely to lose not only lives but also more than $146 billion in gross domestic product (GDP).

Researchers at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine UK said low-income middle-class families were more vulnerable as a result. They may suffer health burdens. while wealthier families may suffer financial burdens.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has released the Global Tuberculosis (TB) Report The report includes data from 193 countries with more than 99 percent of the world’s population and TB cases in This report provides a comprehensive and up-to-date assessment of the TB epidemic and progress in disease prevention, diagnosis and treatment at global, regional and country levels.

According to the main findings of the report, in 2023, there were about 2.52 million TB cases in India. That was up from 2.42 million cases in The total increase in global TB cases in India and Indonesia from 2021 to 2023 was 45 per cent. The five countries of the world, India, Indonesia, China, the Philippines and Pakistan, accounted for 56 percent of the total global TB patients.

India has seen an 18 per cent decline in TB cases between 2015 and 2023. This is well below the World Health Organization’s 50 percent reduction target by 2025. Similarly, TB-related deaths have declined by only 24 per cent against the target of 75 per cent. Globally, in 2023, 8.2 million people will see new cases of TB. This is the highest number since the WHO began monitoring in 1995. In 2023, TB will once again become the leading infectious disease, surpassing COVID-1

TB is an infectious disease. which is spread by coughing, sneezing or spitting from infected people. It usually affects the lungs. But it can spread to any part of the body. There is a cure for this disease provided people take the medicine regularly. TB (World Tuberculosis) Day is celebrated all over the world on 24th March every year. On this day, people are made aware about TB or tuberculosis. A huge population in India is living below the poverty line. TB will not be completely stopped until poverty is eradicated in the country.

According to a report, India has a weak healthcare infrastructure and a severe shortage of health workers. In addition, the difficulty in detecting the disease at an early stage and getting the right treatment remains a challenge. India has the highest burden of TB in the world. That is why Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made TB eradication a priority in the country. It aims to reduce new TB cases by 95 percent and reduce TB deaths by 95 percent. The government is giving Rs 500 per month as cash assistance to TB patients undergoing treatment in the country. TB is caused by bacteria called microbacteria. These bacteria grow in the lungs and cause lesions. These germs can attack the lungs, skin, joints, spine, throat, bones, intestines and so on. Six to seven crore people worldwide suffer from the disease and 2.5 to 3 million people die from it every year. TB is one of the top 10 causes of death from diseases in the world.

It is estimated that about 800 people die daily from TB in India. About 10 per cent of TB cases in India are among children. But only six percent of the cases are reported. The World Health Organization says only 58 per cent of TB cases are reported in India. More than a third of cases either go unrecorded or go untreated. The major reason for this is that the non-government sector hospitals have yet to develop a system for recording TB. The organization estimates that there are about one million more TB patients in the country who have not been identified.

The World Health Organization has said that India is not serious about tackling TB. In his Global TB Report he also questions our data. According to him, India has reported more cases of TB. In fact, patients are far more than that. Due to incorrect data from India, the global assessment of the disease has not been accurate. Several new forms of TB have emerged in recent times. Many mental illnesses have emerged as a major cause of TB. We need to change attitudes about this disease. The government will have to go beyond the traditional ways. The government must work with the private sector to develop comprehensive plans to tackle TB.

TB is linked to nutrition. Hungry stomach reduces the ability to fight diseases. Therefore, the poor are more likely to suffer from TB. Nutrition should be considered to mean a balanced diet. Therefore, it is not possible to eradicate TB by providing treatment alone. This will be possible while people in the country also get a balanced diet to maintain immunity.

Until a few years ago, TB was considered an incurable disease. TB patients were kept separate from the house and treated as if they were untouchable. But now there is adequate treatment and medicine for TB in the country. With regular medication by TB patients, the TB patient is completely cured in nine months. The government must provide more funds for expansion of health facilities in the budget for effective prevention of TB disease. TB awareness programs have to be conducted across the country to sensitize people about TB. TB can be controlled only by increasing the number of health centers in rural areas of the country. According to experts, the government must launch a concrete campaign in this area and also ensure that lack of money does not stand in the way of overcoming this deadly disease. If this does not happen, the death toll will continue to rise.

The commitment that the government has made to eradicate TB needs to be implemented immediately. The theme of World Tuberculosis Day 2025 is Yes We Can End TB. Commit, invest, deliver results. It provides an opportunity to consider ongoing efforts to eliminate TB and encourage stronger commitment at local, national and international levels. including combating the growing threat of drug-resistant TB.

Ramesh Sarraf Dhamora

(The author is an independent journalist accredited by the Government of Rajasthan.)