Indore: Health department under Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme, Indore will felicitate the NGOs, volunteers and social workers working to spread awareness among people against tuberculosis on Mach 26. According to nodal officer of TB control program Dr Vijay Chhajlani, “National TB Week is observed every year from March 18 to March 24. We are organising various awareness programs, door to door campaigns and rallies to observe the week and will felicitate those working tirelessly to save people from the communicable disease.”
Talking about number of TB patients in Indore, Dr Chhajlani said, “More than 11,000 new patients were registered in 2018 and the number has risen over 2400 so far this year.” The nodal officer said even after various awareness programmes, about one third of the detected patients are still undiagnosed with the disease thanks to social stigma.
“Lack of awareness and social stigma surrounding the disease leads to late treatment, complications and poses an emotional burden for the patient and his family members. Late diagnosis is more common in cases of passive TB,” Dr Chhajlani said. He also shared his experience of social stigma when people do not use to talk to him while meeting at public place in a fear that others will doubt on them as a TB patient. “Many people shy in meeting me in public places even in urban areas. They have a fear that talking to a TB specialist will give an impression that they also have TB. We are still fighting these hurdles in eliminating the disease,” he added.
