Telangana: Worrisome trend of incidence of Tuberculosis increasing by 47 per cent in Nalgonda

In an alarming trend, Tuberculosis (TB) cases have increased by 47 per cent in Nalgonda district in 2022 compared to 2021.

Nalgonda: In an alarming trend, Tuberculosis (TB) cases have increased by 47 per cent in Nalgonda district in 2022 compared to 2021.

According to the official figures, 2,915 people infected with TB disease in 2022 as against 1980 TB cases reported in 2021. The TB cases were increasing among children and adults, highlighting the need to address the issue immediately. In all, 109 TB cases of children aged below 18 years were reported in 2021 while 183 cases in the year 2022, which was 63 per cent increase. The TB cases among adults ie more than 18 years old also increased to 2,732 in 2022 from 1871 in 2021, registering a 26 per cent increase.

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The official figures indicate that the TB cases among children and teenagers increased sharply compared to persons above 18 years old. In the group of aged below 18 years, more number of girls were being affected with TB than boys. But, incidence of TB among males aged above 18 years is more than that of women in 2021 and 2022.

Many TB patients, who were taking treatment in private hospitals, were not coming to the notice of district TB control unit. Hence, the health department has taken up five-day drive to create awareness among doctors and to convince them to share the data of TB incidence with TB control unit in the district.

Speaking to ‘Telangana Today’, District TB Control Officer Dr Kalian Chakravarthi said that it was targeted to completely control TB cases by 2025 under National Health Mission. “As a part of it, we are creating awareness in the patients and doctors also. Low immunity in the children would also one of the reasons for increase in TB cases in the persons less than 18 years old. The parents should take special care and consult the doctor if any symptom of TB found in their wards”, he said.

Stating that Tuberculosis was a curable disease, he said that the patients can get medicines from government hospital free of cost.