Nearly 25 people were diagnosed with tuberculosis every hour in Maharashtra, reports based on the data shows. As of now, Uttar Pradesh has the highest number of tuberculosis cases at 5,51,372, followed by Maharashtra at 2,10,000.
Uttar Pradesh had reported 4,53,712 and 5,22,850 and 5,51,372 cases in 2021 and 2022, respectively. Maharashtra had reported 1,99,976 and 2,34,105 cases in 2021 and 2022.
The high number of cases is attributed by officials to various factors, including the unavailability of tuberculosis (TB) medications, delayed diagnoses, malnourishment, and drug addiction, among others.
As per the Mayo Clinic, tuberculosis (TB) is a severe illness primarily affecting the lungs, caused by a specific type of bacteria. The transmission of tuberculosis occurs when an individual with the illness coughs, sneezes, or sings, releasing tiny droplets containing the bacteria into the air. Subsequently, another person can inhale these droplets, leading to the entry of the bacteria into their lungs.
The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is aiming to eliminate TB from India by 2025. The numbers, however, indicate it’s going to be a tough job for the govt.According to Dr. Sunita Golhait, joint director of health services at the state health department, authorities are focussed on TB testing in an attempt to identify hidden cases. They are also pushing for early diagnosis. Private practitioners have been roped in to find suspected TB patients.”We are taking all measures to control rising TB cases. Awareness has increased; testing also. We have installed advanced TB testing facility in tribal belts. Notifying TB patients is important. Private practitioners, chemists and citizens have been roped to inform health officers about suspected patients,” Free Press Journal quoted Dr Golhait as saying.
According to an official, overcrowding is the major cause behind such high prevalence on TB in metro cities, with 6-7 individuals sharing small living places. That is how infection spreads fast, he added.
Besides, malnourished people are at a higher risk of contracting the disease, and addiction also causes it, he further said.
Tuberculosis tends to spread more easily in crowded places or conditions where people gather closely. Individuals with conditions such as HIV/AIDS or weakened immune systems are at a higher risk of contracting tuberculosis compared to those with typical immune systems.