The 100-day TB elimination campaign carried on in the State from December 7 to March 17 has successfully mapped 81.6 lakh (81,56,653) vulnerable individuals who are at high risk of TB and screened 61,41,814 of these persons for TB infection.
Detailed investigations of 1,98,101 persons with TB-like symptoms have found 5,588 new TB cases in the State, whose treatment and follow-up is being ensured, according to the State TB Division.
The 100-day intensive campaign, as part of the national TB elimination programme, has succeeded in raising the annual preventive TB examination rate (testing people for TB infection, not active TB) from 1,500 per lakh population to 2,201 per lakh population.
Home visits, camps
Through the campaign, the Health department intended to detect and treat the maximum number of tuberculosis patients from the community through direct home visits by health workers and through camps.
The campaign was aimed at reducing unnecessary public fear over the diagnosis of TB and the stigma of TB; preventing the neglect of TB patients; ensuring proper treatment and fulfilling the nutritional requirements of TB patients; encouraging TB preventive therapy (latent TB treatment); and improved awareness of the disease.
Task forces set up
The focus of the State will be on reducing TB mortality. TB Elimination Task Forces have been set up in 83% grama panchayats in Kerala and in 2023, as many as 59 panchayats and one municipality in the State had been given the TB-free status by the Central TB Division.
TB-free status
In 2024, with 47 of the panchayats retaining their TB-free status and 84 grama panchayats and seven municipalities newly entering the TB-free list, a total of 138 local self-governing bodies in the State have obtained the TB-free status.
The full report of the 100-day TB elimination campaign in the State will be released on Monday, at the World TB Day observance, being organised by the State and District TB division and the National Health Mission.
Health Minister Veena George is expected to inaugurate the World TB Day observance virtually. V.K. Prashant, MLA, will preside.
Published – March 23, 2025 08:40 pm IST