Kohima, April 13: During a recent visit to the Mon district hospital, the commissioner and secretary of the Nagaland health and family welfare department, Y Kikheto Sema, revealed that there are over 4000 tuberculosis patients in Nagaland, with the highest number of patients in the Mon district.
Sema also highlighted that India has the highest number of TB patients in the world and plans to eliminate the disease by 2025. The World Health Organization (WHO) also aims to eradicate TB by 2030 through its Sustainable Development Board.
Sema praised the infrastructure of the Mon district hospital, stating that it is among the best in the state. However, he also urged doctors, nurses, officers, and citizens of Mon to support the construction of a medical college in the district. The visit was made alongside Nagaland’s health and family welfare minister, P Paiwang Konyak.
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Tuberculosis is an infectious disease caused by bacteria that mainly affects the lungs. It spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. TB is a major public health concern in India, with an estimated 2.6 million cases reported in 2019 alone.
The disease is particularly prevalent among the poor, malnourished, and those with weakened immune systems. TB is treatable and curable with a six-month course of antibiotics, but it requires early detection and proper treatment to prevent the spread of the disease.
India has made significant progress in controlling TB in recent years, with a 14% decline in the number of cases reported between 2015 and 2019.
The government has launched various initiatives to tackle the disease, including the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP) and the National Strategic Plan for TB Elimination. These efforts have helped to improve TB diagnosis and treatment, increase public awareness, and reduce the stigma associated with the disease.
The high number of TB patients in Nagaland highlights the need for continued efforts to eliminate the disease in India.
The government’s commitment to ending TB by 2025 and the WHO’s goal of eradicating the disease by 2030 provide a roadmap for achieving this objective. However, it will require the collective efforts of health officials, medical professionals, and the public to ensure that TB is diagnosed and treated early and that its spread is prevented.
