‘Catch them early and treat them right’
By: Sameer Showkin Lone
Anantnag: As part of the National Tuberculosis Elimination Program (NTEP), the Center For Health Research and Innovation (CHRI)today held a workshop with medicos and paramedics on the programmatic management of Tuberculosis Preventive Treatment (PMTP).
NTEP is a large Public Health initiative of Government of India and CHRI is a technical partner of the Jammu and Kashmir government that works on the Latent Tuberculosis Infection.
The workshop was attended by doctors from different medical blocks of the district where they were informed about the LTBI and the revised guidelines to track and treat the primary contacts of active TB patients.
“There is a proper algorithm that needs to be followed while dealing with the primary contacts of active TB cases,” said a senior doctor treating Tuberculosis.
He said it would help to eliminate tuberculosis and break the chain.
“Catch them early and treat them right should be the mantra if we want to break the TB chain,” said another senior doctor.
Principal Government Medical College Anantnag Prof Dr Tariq Syed Qureshi, who was a chief guest at the seminar termed such workshops titled as “Continuing Medical Education” need of the hour so that the doctors and other field staff remain well aware about the revised guidelines and changing methodologies so that the Tuberculosis is eliminated well on the time.
District TuberCulosis Officer (DTO) Anantnag Dr Syed Faheem gave a detailed presentation on the Preventive Treatment and other testing procedures to be conducted while examining a Latent TB case.
Most of the Senior Treatment Supervisors and other staff from different TB units who participated in the programatic workshop were told to maximise the area of work and reach out to the last person through Active Contact Findings (ACF).
Among others, State Lead CHRI Dr Zahid Ahmad and other staffers of the Organisation also attended the workshop that was organised at Government Medical College Anantnag.
It may be recalled that Anantnag district has witnessed a significant reduction in TB.
Deputy Commissioner Anangnag Dr Piyush Singla assured that the district administration will always extend maximum support to the health department in their future endeavours.
