End Tuberculosis by 2030

The world health organization (WHO) provided estimated figure of tuberculosis reported cases in the world is 2.79 million in 2016. The figure of Bihar TB cases 115,400,000 which in high in number, a state with 3^rd largest population in the country have huge figure of tuberculosis cases which are reported in private and public hospitals  many  cases are still unreported or identified because people don’t know about their health condition. Revised National Tuberculosis program ( 1997) emphasis  on cure of Tuberculosis, to achieve the envisaged outcome of the  program me  effective steps been taken by the center and state government to eliminate the disease , but due to many factors and for reason TB still is the disease which is not taken seriously or community. India has placed number one in the world for deaths from tuberculosis: 423,000 TB patients died in the year 2016.

The question is why people are dying of TB there are several know reason which are directly dependable for the death of people from the curable disease. My experience in working with the marnalize community provided the glimpse the rationale of the unreported or unidentified cases of TB.Though the national health mission programme is being implemented across the country but reach to the patient is still limited, especially in the state like Bihar where one Primary health Center are constructed at Block level population with more than 200000, In each hospital hardly one or two doctors available for the patients with the given capacity of the hospitals it really very tough to handle huge population.

TB is also consider as social stigma people usually hide the fact they are suffering with the TB, because everyone knows the fact Tuberculosis is caused by bacteria that spread from person to person through microscopic droplets released into the air. This can happen when someone with the untreated, active form of tuberculosis coughs, speaks, sneezes, spits, laughs or sings that why is affected person tend to hide. The another reason for high number of TB patient is delay in early detection of the disease in far remote villages people prefer local registered local practitioner for meager health problems until the condition become worse they do not consult to the doctor. Reason and factors are endless which leads death form TB.

 To prevent death form tuberculosis a ministerial meeting called on 15^th & 16^th March 2017 in Delhi with the objective of to end TB in south-east Asia by 2030. It shows the political willingness and commitment of the state know it needs to accelerate the work at village level where from the patient belongs.

A focused approach need to be develop for elimination of TB same like government planned for elimination of polio by introducing polio week every month and total vaccination programme. To deal with the grim situation and make people informed and aware towards TB disease social behavior communication change approach needed to imply at community level.

Rinki