Free tuberculosis detection camps in slums to start from next week

Intensive health camps to detect tuberculosis (TB) among urban slum residents will start next week, district health department officials said.

The camps aim to cover more than one lakh people and will be set up near 18 urban public health centres (UPHCs) in Basai Enclave, Khandsa, Nathupur, Om Nagar, Patel Nagar, Rajendra Park, Rajiv Nagar, Sukhrali and Tigra, among other areas.

The camps will start on April 25 and continue till end of May. “Diagnostic tests to detect TB—chest X-ray; sputum samples collection and testing—will be done free. We have tied up with a private hospital and an NGO so we have sufficient mobile TB testing machines,” district nodal officer Dr MP Singh said.

In 2018, number of TB cases in the district recorded an increase of 68% as compared to 2017. Health officials attributed the rise to better detection. A planning meeting was held on Friday at the Civil Hospital in Civil Lines.