Door-to-door testing for TB in Maharashtra from December 1

MUMBAI: The Government of Maharashtra has started a month-long drive to supervise door-to-door screening and detecting tuberculosis (TB) and leprosy cases. The public health department of the state plans to screen the 8.66 crore population across the state, which includes 6.82 crore people in rural areas and 1.84 crore people in urban areas.

Dr R S Adkekar, Assistant Director (Health), Government of Maharashtra, said that very less TB and leprosy cases were reported this year. It is suspected that several new cases in the community have gone unidentified and may have continued to transfer the infection to others. This drive will help control the transmission and put the infected on treatment.

A team of two health workers like ASHA or anganwadi helper, accompanied by other workers, will visit 20 houses in rural and 25 houses in urban areas every day. Every resident will be inquired about the symptoms of TB such as weight loss, cough, and fever lasting two weeks. DrAdkekar also said that the people who get confirmed will be asked to undergo a chest X-ray and will be put on treatment.

Regarding leprosy, the health workers will look for white patches on skin and direct all the suspected cases to health centres for future treatment.