Ma Su inaugurates Tuberculosis Eradication Summit in Chennai

CHENNAI: State Health Minister Ma Subramanian inaugurated the TB Eradication Summit under the National Tuberculosis Eradication Programme in Chennai and released the 2.0 State TB Eradication Comprehensive Plan document.

The State Health Department is setting up Culture and Drug Sensitivity Testing Labs at Coimbatore and Tiruchy, as part of its goal to decrease the incidence of TB in TN to 40 per one lakh population in high-burden districts and to 10 per one lakh population in low-burden districts, by 2025.

Governmental Hospital for Tuberculosis in Tambaram is one of the Culture and Drug Susceptibility Laboratories which have been accredited by the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme and endorsed technologies for the diagnosis of tuberculosis (Pulmonary and Extra-Pulmonary) to support the programme. Similarly in the current year, culture and drug sensitivity labs have been established in Coimbatore and Tiruchy at the cost of Rs 3.10 crore. Equipment such as MGIT Machine, Line Probe Assay, installation of Biosafety Cabinet- BSL III and all Lab consumables are provided for the effective functioning of the laboratory.

As per the plan, the department aims at 'Detect All' as a plan, which is one of the pillars of The National Strategic Plan of the National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP) with an objective of Early identification of presumptive TB, at the first point of contact be it private or public sectors, and prompt diagnosis using high sensitivity diagnostic tests to provide universal access to quality TB diagnosis including drug-resistant TB in the country.

The department is planning at diagnosing all the new cases of multi-drug and rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis which are estimated to emerge annually. The NTEP includes 35 district TB centres, 461 TB units at the block Level, 1,967 designated microscopy centres, 2 intermediate reference laboratories in Chennai & Madurai and Molecular diagnostic labs- that are functioning to provide Universal Drug Susceptibility Testing to all diagnosed TB patients.

As per a release from the health department, the State has not recorded any cases of Extensively Drug Resistant (XDR) TB in 2022, after two cases were reported in 2021 and 2019 each, and five cases were reported in 2020. Tamil Nadu is also seeing a decline pre XDR TB as 104 cases were reported in 2022 compared to 126 in the previous year. The multi-drug resistant TB saw a slight surge with 1,294 cases reported last year and 1,185 cases being reported in 2021. At least 1,188 cases of mono-drug TB were reported in the State.

The Health Minister said that the number of TB patients diagnosed has increased from 68,922 in 2020 to 82,680 in 2021 and 91,592 in 2022. In 2020, 57,391 people have recovered, 68,810 in 2021 and 50,592 in 2022. The state has undertaken various measures to create TB-free status and 23 mobile vehicles equipped with Digital X-rays for TB were launched at a cost of Rs.10.65 crore.

In addition to this, a total of 42 mobile digital X-ray vehicles are used to identify people with symptoms of tuberculosis, including young children and provide treatment. The modern blood test system for internal tuberculosis is being implemented in the best manner in Chennai, Kancheepuram, Madurai, Pudukottai, Tiruvallur and Thoothukudi. The identified people are given nutritional and financial aid to fight the infection.