India - 40% of residents in New Delhi infected with Tuberculosis: Mayor

[Ronan Kelly]

40% Delhiites infected with TB: Mayor
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 15
Around 40 per cent people in Delhi are infected with tuberculosis (TB), said Mayor Rajni Abbi and called for spreading awareness about the disease. Abbi said that TB is a curable disease and there is a need to spread awareness among the patients that it is curable. She was speaking at Municipal Corporation of Delhi's (MCD) Chest Clinic.

"Fighting the disease and making society aware on the issue is a key to tackling it," Abbi said.

...
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2011/20111216/delhi.htm#13

 

[sharon sanders]

Re: 40% Delhiites infected with TB: Mayor

Re: 40% Delhiites infected with TB: Mayor

Thanks Ronan!

That is an incredible statement by Dr. Abbi. She holds a PhD in Law and is on the faculty of the University of Delhi:

http://www.du.ac.in/index.php?id=270&fmember=2679&cid=344


I looked for an article to corroborate the Tribune but did not find one yet.

TB can remain in a latent stage but 40% is a really large number.

 

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: 40% Delhiites infected with TB: Mayor

Re: 40% Delhiites infected with TB: Mayor

DOTS (Directly Observed Treatment Short Course Chemotherapy) SERVICES IN DELHI
Delhi is a Metropolitan city State with a population of over 17 million.
Density of population is very high (11000/sq.km) with ~ 40% population living in slums or slum like conditions.
40% of population is infected with TB and the estimated occurrence of new TB cases is 209/100,000 population/year
The city has been able to run TB control program successfully by involving all types of agencies and authorities involved in health care delivery system.
Health care delivery is through a multi authority system involving Government of India (GoI), Government of Delhi(GNCTD), local municipal bodies- Municipal Corporation of Delhi(MCD), New Delhi Municipal Council(NDMC) and Delhi Cantonment, Non Governmental Organizations(NGO), voluntary workers and Private practitioners(PP). Of 24 District TB centers, 10 are run by Delhi government, 11 by MCD, 1 by NDMC, 1 by GoI and 1 by an NGO. There are total of 194 Microscopy centers( 174 in Government sector and 20 in Private sector) providing quality diagnosis and 585 DOT centers (375 in government sector and 210 in private sector).

RNTCP Delhi is providing free treatment to multi- drug resistant TB (MDR-TB) patients in the State. Treatment of MDR-TB follows the WHO recommended DOTS-PLUS strategy. Patient diagnosis and follow up is done in designated DOTS-PLUS sites (4 sites in Delhi) with ready access to RNTCP accredited culture and DST laboratory (2 Labs in Delhi). Till 31st March, 410 Patients are on treatment of MDR TB since Jan 2009.

To summarize, with DOTS, the gains in Delhi have been quite satisfying since 1997 till 2009:
4,42,207 patients put on treatment
87 out of 100 patients treated successfully
48,60,637 infections averted
4,86,063 illness averted
84,489 precious lives saved
On the two international goals of RNTCP, Delhi program has been rated as the best performing in the country consecutively for five years {2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009} amongst the States and Union Territories of India and it aspires to maintain the same in many more years to come for the benefit of people of Delhi.

http://www.dotsdelhi.org/program-performance.php

 

[sharon sanders]

Re: 40% Delhiites infected with TB: Mayor

Re: 40% Delhiites infected with TB: Mayor

Thanks Ronan. I am going to change the title of the thread to emphasis this important data.