Tamil Nadu - Thanjavur   

`TB treatment available at the doorstep'

By Our Staff Reporter

THANJAVUR, MARCH 25. The Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP), being implemented now in Thanjavur district, has taken the cure for tuberculosis to the doorstep of the people, S. Kosalaraman, Thanjavur Collector, said here on Wednesday.

Speaking at the World Tuberculosis Day and Tuberculosis Prevention Week function, organised by the District Tuberculosis Centre, he said the impact of RNTCP was so great that sanatorium treatment for tuberculosis had become redundant.

He cited the example of decrease in the number of patients coming to the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Tuberculosis Sanatorium at Sengipatti near Thanjavur, for which the Collector was the chairman. In the past, the sanatorium concept was considered good for TB patients.

But now, it has been proved that drugs taken to the doorstep of the people can cure TB.

Mr. Kosalaraman distributed prizes and certificates to students, who took part in competitions held in connection with the World TB Day. He also distributed appreciation certificates and cash awards to doctors who had done good work in prevention of TB.

V. D. Murugesan, Deputy Director, Medical Services (Tuberculosis), said sputum test centres had been established at 22 places in the district and the people, who had cough or cold continuously for three months, could undergo tests in these centres. At the rate of one sub-zone for five lakh population, Thanjavur district has been divided into five zones and TB hospitals are functioning at Thanjavur, Murukankudi, Melattur, Thondarampattu and Siruvaviduthi. Nine non-governmental organisations had been involved in the RNTCP programme. During the last three years, under the RNTCP, 3657820 outpatients came to TB hospitals in the district. Out of these, sputum test was conducted for 68,434 patients and 7489 given treatment. Under the RNCTP, 90 per cent of the TB patients had been cured completely.

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