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TB cure rate: Puducherry crosses international target of 85 %

PUDUCHERRY: The Union Territory of Puducherry has recorded a gradual progress in the cure rate of tuberculosis (TB) from 2005. For the first time, it has crossed the international target of 85 per cent cure rate this year.

It was in 2004 that the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP) was implemented in the Union Territory. Within four years, Puducherry has achieved the internationally prescribed standards, both in the detection of cases and cure rate.

“The objectives of the RNTCP includes curing at least 85 per cent of the New Sputum Positive (NSP) tuberculosis patients and detecting at least 70 per cent of such patients in the country. This is on following the Directly Observed Treatment-Shortcourse and Stop TB strategy,” State TB Control Officer S. Govindarajan said.

There are a total of 1,400 to 1,500 tuberculosis cases every year in the Union Territory.

Among NSP TB cases, the cure rate has improved from 75 per cent in 2005 to 81 per cent in 2007 and 86 per cent in 2008 (April to June report).

In fact, the percentage of cases diagnosed has witnessed an increase from 76 per cent in 2005 to 98 per cent in 2008, he said.

“If the NSP TB cases are taken care of, then the transmission chain can be broken and the prevalence will come down. Detection of cases has never been a problem in Puducherry as we have always been above the international standards.

“We are progressing with RNTCP,” he said.

With regard to death rate owing to tuberculosis, the national average was 29 persons per lakh population in 2007.

On the contrary, the number of patients who died in the Union Territory was 10 persons per lakh population in the same year.

“The backbone of the achievement lies in consistent efforts to create awareness of diagnosis, treatment services coupled with close monitoring of programme implementation among the medical community and the public,” Dr. Govindarajan said.

“We have been emphasising that tuberculosis is 100 per cent curable, if given proper attention. There have been frequent patient-provider meetings at Primary Health Centres,” he said.

All the four regions of Puducherry, Yanam, Mahe and Karaikal had medical officers for tuberculosis control and close monitoring of the work was being done, he said, adding that if patients do not come to collect the medications, health staff would visit their houses.

More measures are yet to come to achieve a further increase in the cure rate, the official said.

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