The health department of the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) has geared up to conduct a fresh survey which aims to cover a population of around 2.74 lakh, mainly from the 35 slum clusters, densely-populated pockets, construction sites, hamlets, and other far-to-reach places to detect patients with communicable diseases like tuberculosis (TB) and leprosy across the twin-city.
With a main objective of early detection to facilitate timely treatment, the door-to-door survey will be conducted in accordance with state government guidelines between 1, December to 16, December, followed by tests and diagnosis of the patients by 31, December.
“While 124 two member teams comprising Asha Workers, Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM) and medical volunteers have been formed for the door to door survey of vulnerable areas, 27 supervisors will monitor the day to activities of the teams.” said City Tuberculosis Officer (CTO) –Balnath Chakor. Earlier MBMC’s health department conducted three to four surveys every year to trace communicable and non-communicable diseases.
However, the entire health machinery has been engaged in screening, detection and treatment of patients in the battle against the deadly Covid-19 pandemic due to which other communicable diseases such as leprosy and tuberculosis have remained ignored for the past nearly eight months, thus necessitating the urgent need of an intensified and targeted survey to detect and diagnose patients of these two diseases and provide them proper treatment.
The detection of fresh tuberculosis patients has witnessed a significant drop during the lockdown period, confirmed officials. As per officials statistics sourced out from the health department, 491 patients are currently under treatment for tuberculosis and 36 are undergoing treatment for leprosy. Meanwhile an interactive session to train members of the survey team was held through video conferencing on Friday.
