Four districts in Tripura – West, North, Dhalai and Dhalai are likely to earn Tuberculosis (TB)-free tag soon. A survey has already commenced for this purpose.
The survey has been initiated by the Community Medicine department of Agartala Government Medical College (AGMC) in collaboration with National Tuberculosis Control Programme, World Health Organization, Indian Council of Medical Research, National Institute of Epidemiology (Chennai) and Indian Association of Preventive and Social Medicine.
Dr. Subrata Baidya, Professor of AGMC, has been appointed as state-level nodal officer for the survey while Assistant Professor Dr. Chanda Mog, Associate Professor Dr. Hrituparna Das, Associate Professor Dr. Amar Tripura and Assistant Professor Dr. Shampa Das have been appointed as nodal officers for North, South, Dhalai and West Tripura respectively.
According to a government press release, five clusters will be formed and 30 TB patients will be identified in each of the four districts.
The Senior Treatment Supervisor, Senior TB Laboratory Supervisor and MPWs are performing the survey. The decision will be taken based on various parameters- real time survey, cough testing in CB-NAAT, secondary data analysis and focus group discussion.
To oversee the survey works, the state-level nodal officer recently paid visits to Hejamara in West Tripura and Belonia, and Ludhua of South Tripura. He also visited Belianchip and Kanchancherra of North Tripura district on February 12 and 13 respectively.
Meanwhile, Dr. Sapna of the Central TB Division arrived in the state on February 13 last to review the survey progress. She also visited various sites.
According to official sources, the efforts are going on in full swing to declare the four districts Tuberculosis-free before the World Tuberculosis Day that falls on March 24 next.
