Mumbai: Experts warn of tuberculosis outbreak amidst COVID-19 pandemic

Health experts are worried about the large number of migrant who left the city due to the COVID19 pandemic as in the process some could have missed out on their tuberculosis TB treatment They fear it could develop into drug resistant TB and increase the spread of the disease in other parts of the country where they have gone TB experts in the city have cautioned the government not to ignore a TB outbreak amidst the pandemic as it is a major killer in IndiaDr Wiqar Shaikh senior asthma and allergy specialist said Affected migrant workers will have to be closely monitored by their state governments to not only continue their antituberculosis treatment but also to watch out for MultiDrug Resistant TB MDR TBDr Shaikh warned that TB is an extremely common condition in our country with a high mortality rate even today He added Approximately five new cases of TB emerge in our country out of every 1000 people so around 27 million new cases emerge every year Out of this MDR TB is around 130000 new cases every year The mortality with TB every year is 440 lakh in India Approximately more than 95 per cent TB cases in the world are mainly seen in developing countries Infact 96 per cent of deaths due to TB in the world are from developing countries like India And 75 per cent of all TB cases are in the economically productive age group of 15 years to 50 years which is damaging to the country If TB is properly treated particularly by adhering to the Direct Observation Therapy DOTs the cure rate is more than 80 per cent unfortunately the majority of patients do not come back for monitoringWorse than COVID19Shaikh further added Nearly 440 lakh deaths every year in India are attributed to TB and this is nearly five per cent of the deaths in the country So COVID19 is nowhere close to the mortality due to TBDr Lalit Anande Medical Superintendent at Sewris TB hospital expressed similar concerns saying Many migrant workers who have left the city while under treatment for tuberculosis carry a highrisk of spreading the same in the state they have headed to If they are not traced and given medication for tuberculosis they carry high risk of slipping into MDRTBDr Anande added The COVID19 pandemic has brought the immunity of most vulnerable human beings to the lowest level Mycobacterium tuberculosis mtCP known for causing TB attacks the human body when the immunity level falls The spread of tuberculosis will be rampant if corrective measures of screening for tuberculosis are not taken up immediatelyPunebased Dr Padmaja Jogewar State Tuberculosis Officer attached to the Central Tuberculosis Division said After the lockdown March 23 to June 24 the number of patients taking treatment for TB in the state is around 15683 governmentcivic hospitals and 7410 patients in private treatment which has seen a drastic fall as compared to the January to March number 51827 patients in government civic and private hospitals We have issued letters to all concerned statecivicrun hospitals directing them to keep check on the migrant crowd and touch base with those under treatment from our data bank so they can be provided the required dosage of medicationBMCs pilot projectThe Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation BMC has a new strategy to combat TB after the lockdown Dr Pranita Tipre Deputy Health Officer TB BMC said We have given medicines for a month to all patients before the lockdown started Thereafter after our staff reached out to them with medicines in case they were residing in Containment Zones A fortnight ago we started a pilot project in three BMC ward limits GN ward Dadar N ward Ghatkopar and PSouth ward Goregaon only for screening TB cases and monitoring patients New patients can avail of the facility by approaching the ward officeShe said they have also started calling TB patients to monitor their treatment They will also provide free medicines to patients who were seeking private treatment Those who have migrated from Mumbai can also contact us so that we can direct them to the district TB officers in various states so that their treatment can continue said Dr TipreCatch up on all the latest Mumbai news crime news current affairs and a complete guide from food to things to do and events across Mumbai Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates MidDay is now on Telegram Click here to join our channel middayinfomedialtd and stay updated with the latest news