Meghalaya observes World TB Day

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaMarch 19, 2024

State Tuberculosis Officer J. Kharwanlang informed that the state had notified 4974 cases in the year 2022 and 4812 cases in the year 2023. 

She spoke during the observation of World TB Day 2024 hosted by the office of the Mission Director, National Health Mission, Government of Meghalaya on Tuesday under the theme, “Yes, we can end TB.”

She added that the presumptive TB examination rate per lakh have jumped from 646 per lakh in the year 2021 to 1433 per lakh in the year 2023.

She added, “Despite the presumptive TB examination rate increasing double and use of high quality diagnostic tests, the notification rate showed the decline from 130 per lakh in 2022 to 124 per lakh in 2023, reflecting an overall fall of TB incidence in the state.”

Speaking as the Chief Guest, Mission Director NHM and Secretary Health and Family Welfare department Ram Kumar expressed concern on low rate of success in TB treatment. 

He said, “Our success rate of treatment is still a cause of concern, which we need to touch more than 90%.

Kumar said, “From the national level, from the state level, we have had very, very clear vision that we need to end TB in a comprehensive manner in the country. We need to test for almost all cases whenever they have a certain threshold to see whether what treatment regimens we can have for people.”