There has been a slight rise in multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (TB) cases in Kozhikode district over the years. It is one of the focus areas of the ongoing 100-day TB eradication campaign launched by the Health department recently.
TB is a contagious disease spread by Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria that primarily affects the lungs. Multidrug-resistant TB is a form of the disease caused by a strain of the bacteria that is resistant to rifampicin and isoniazid, two of the most effective TB drugs.
Sources said that multi-drug resistant TB cases have gone up in Kozhikode from 75 in 2023 to 78 in 2024. This was happening mainly due to some patients stopping their medication after two or three months. Normally, the treatment lasts six to nine months. “The bacteria develop resistance to the medicines if they are stopped midway through the treatment. The treatment will have to be prolonged then. Multi-drug resistant TB cases are a cause for concern across the State,” the official pointed out. Public health experts said that diabetes patients, senior citizens, people who smoke, and those with weak immunity are susceptible to TB.
Another problem is some patients avoiding symptoms such as cough, chest pain, fever, and chills and depending on over-the-counter drugs for temporary relief. “Some others seek treatment for cough and fever, but do not undergo the TB test. They may feel better for a week or so, but the problems will recur. Delaying treatment like this will lead to the infection spreading to others. Official data suggest that one patient can transmit the infection to at least 10 to 20 others a year in India,” the official said.
According to sources in the district TB office, 2,081 people are under treatment for TB in Kozhikode district at present. A total of 56 new cases were reported this month. As many as 44,523 people were examined in 2024 and 2,173 were diagnosed with the infection. There were 188 deaths.
A total of 43,107 were examined in 2023 and 2,132 were diagnosed with the infection. There were 204 deaths in that year.
The officials said that the objective of the ongoing nationwide campaign was to reduce the number of TB patients to one per a population of 1,000 in a grama panchayat in 2025. The campaign will culminate on March 24, World Tuberculosis Day.
Testing and treatment are free at all government hospitals.
Published - January 23, 2025 07:50 pm IST
