Mumbai The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation is on a mission to eradicate tuberculosis (TB) completely by 2025 under Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Yojana. According to civic body’s recently clocked in figures, there are 40,000 patients undergoing treatment in Mumbai.
If BMC manages to accomplish this in time, this will still be five years earlier than the United Nation’s 2030 target.
Dr Mangala Gomare, BMC’s executive health officer told the Hindustan Times, “Out of 40,000 patients, 31,000 have consented to get support from donors. We have got 7,000 donors so far. Each patient gets ₹500 per month under PM’s scheme,” she said.
Gomare explained that nutrition plays a huge role in combating the disease at an early stage.
The Nikshay Mitra concept will play a crucial role in combating the disease where citizens become donors by providing dry ration kits to patients for six months to three years. The kit costs between ₹500-900 a month. The kit comprises items like oil, cereal, pulses and jaggery.
Nikshay Mitras can also finance diagnostic to help in diagnosis of TB, blood investigations, MRI, CT scan and other investigations.
These donors can also provide vocational help by in the way jobs or even help family members of patients from lower income groups.
Explaining the adoption process, District TB Officer (DTO) for Kandivali, Dr Reena Raul said that the donor or Nikshay Mitra can approach the ward or directly go to the government website and register as a donor. The DTOs then call up the donor and give them details and ask them the number of patients they want to adopt. She, along with some of her family members, have adopted a few patients.
“It is not just the patient, the entire family fights TB. Treatment goes on for one to two years and the whole family goes through hurdles. This is where Nikshay Mitras can come in. We request residents, NGOs, corporates or individuals to come forward and adopt patients depending on their financial capacity,” Dr Gomare said.
The TB elimination drive has already started in three wards – Borivali, Kandivali and Dahisar – where patients have been adopted by citizens, civic officials and their families. Even politicians are providing nutritional support.
Deputy Municipal Commissioner (Zone VII), Dr Bhagyashree Kapse, has adopted 20 patients. According to her, there are more than 1550 TB patients in Kandivali, which include kids and adults. There are approximately 1000 patients in Borivali and 900 in Dahisar.
“We need to strengthen their immune system. Around 60 per cent of the patients are from economically weaker sections. One should start the day with a healthy breakfast if one is travelling by local trains, or high footfall areas. A person following a healthy diet will be protected from TB,” said Kapse.
Former Kandivali MLA Thakur Ramesh Singh alone has adopted 400 patients.
Dr Raul observed that after they provided nutritional kits to paediatric patients for a year, they had seen positive results.
“Nutrition plays a major role in decreasing death rate and morbidity, thus increasing the success rate of the scheme,” she said.
For diagnostic support, BMC provides free treatment modality to patients but there are 14 drug sensitive tests that are expensive, but can be sponsored by donors.
Borivali’s district TB officer, Dr Ranjita Bagwe, said that BMC has notified 1000 TB patients in Borivali and 900 patients in Dahisar.
“So far, we have only seven donors In Borivali and six in Dahisar. We are approaching political parties and appealing to people to come forward to become donors. We need to create more awareness among the masses,” Dr Bagwe said.