‘Over 200 TB deaths reported in Ganjam despite high recovery rate’ | Bhubaneswar News
Berhampur: Tuberculosis remains a persistent threat in Ganjam district, claiming more than 200 lives in the past two years, despite a high recovery rate of 91.6%, health officials reported Monday.
According to official data, the district recorded 6,535 new TB cases in 2024, slightly lower than 6,698 reported in 2023. The death toll stood at 280 in 2024, compared to 224 in 2023 and 319 in 2022.
“The death rate in TB cases remains below 5%,” said Dr Bijay Kumar Panda, chief district medical officer. He added that 53 panchayats have already been declared TB-free.
District TB officer Dr Abani Kumar Patra noted that most fatalities involved patients with comorbidities like AIDS and diabetes. Under the ‘Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan‘, patients receive nutritional support through ‘Nikshay Mitra’ adopters.
The district has deployed 63 ‘TB Champions’ — former patients who have recovered — to raise awareness about treatment adherence. “These champions share their personal experiences to encourage current patients to complete the six-month treatment course,” Dr Patra explained.
Dr Narayan Mishra, a prominent chest physician, emphasised that TB is both preventable and “100% curable if detected and treated early”. Free diagnosis and treatment are available through the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP), officials said.
To mark World TB Day on Monday, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) and MKCG Medical College organised an awareness rally. The event was inaugurated by Dr Prasanna Kumar Kar, IMA Berhampur president, and Dr Priyanka Das, professor of pulmonary medicine.
According to official data, the district recorded 6,535 new TB cases in 2024, slightly lower than 6,698 reported in 2023. The death toll stood at 280 in 2024, compared to 224 in 2023 and 319 in 2022.
“The death rate in TB cases remains below 5%,” said Dr Bijay Kumar Panda, chief district medical officer. He added that 53 panchayats have already been declared TB-free.
District TB officer Dr Abani Kumar Patra noted that most fatalities involved patients with comorbidities like AIDS and diabetes. Under the ‘Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan‘, patients receive nutritional support through ‘Nikshay Mitra’ adopters.
The district has deployed 63 ‘TB Champions’ — former patients who have recovered — to raise awareness about treatment adherence. “These champions share their personal experiences to encourage current patients to complete the six-month treatment course,” Dr Patra explained.
Dr Narayan Mishra, a prominent chest physician, emphasised that TB is both preventable and “100% curable if detected and treated early”. Free diagnosis and treatment are available through the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP), officials said.
To mark World TB Day on Monday, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) and MKCG Medical College organised an awareness rally. The event was inaugurated by Dr Prasanna Kumar Kar, IMA Berhampur president, and Dr Priyanka Das, professor of pulmonary medicine.
