PMC to screen over 8 lakh vulnerable population for TB under SSHAKTI programme
PMC has launched the SSHAKTI programme to combat TB, screening over 50k vulnerable individuals and aiming to improve detection and treatment in high-risk areas.
Stepping up its fight towards elimination of tuberculosis (TB), the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has started the SSHAKTI programme to reduce transmission and incidence of the ailment among vulnerable population, officials said.
PMC is amongst the twelve local bodies in Maharashtra where the pilot project of SSHAKTI (Strategising and Strengthening HIV/AIDS & TB Initiative) was launched. The other local bodies include—Akola, Amravati, Nagpur, Chandrapur, Bhiwandi, Dadar, and Kural amongst others. The programme was started in PMC two months back and over 50k vulnerable population has been screened, officials said.
Dr Prashant Bothe, city TB officer, PMC, said, “The government’s aim to improve TB control outcomes and contribute to the overall goal of eliminating the disease in India. The activity is conducted along with the regular TB control and over 8 lakh population in the city will be screened for infection. To date, we have screened over 50k people and around 25 new cases were identified and included under the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP).”
As per officials, the screening programme will be conducted along with NTEP. The programme aims to reduce diagnostic delays, improve the treatment initiation rate, reach the unreached population, and enhance the early detection of TB cases.
Dr Bothe said that screening tests have been conducted in locations like the PMPML depots and MSRTC stands. Maha-Metro staff and slums in Shivajinagar are also covered. “Initially, the IEC (Information Education and Communication) activities are conducted, and later testing is done with facilities or portal X-ray, sputum and other tests. The testing is conducted by door-to-door visits in slums and health camps,” he said.
According to officials, the target population of the programme includes urban slum residents and individuals in workplaces with an increased risk of tuberculosis. These high-risk settings include mines, the coal industry, sandblasting and weaving industries, glass manufacturing, stone crushing, cotton mills, tea gardens, rice mills, brick kilns, and construction sites. Additionally, the programme aims to support people in congregate settings such as night shelters, orphanages, and old-age homes, as well as migrants and residents of de-addiction centres and hard-to-reach areas.
