Now, Maharashtra has a 'mission' to fight TB

Concerned about the steep rise of tuberculosis cases in Maharashtra, the state government has decided to fight the disease with 'Mission Mode'.

Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Wednesday that tuberculosis (TB) will be given high importance and additional funds as well as medicines will be made available to those suffering from the disease.

The TB issue was raised in the upper house by NCP leader Vidya Chavan during the question hour. Chavan said: "For HIV patients, there are various schemes worldwide and medicines are also provided to them. Will the state government consider providing any special funds and apparatus to those suffering from tuberculosis?"

In his reply. Fadnavis said: "We have all the equipment and medicines needed to treat TB. When someone suffers from this disease, s/he needs sustained medication. When medicines are provided free of cost, people do not give them any value. But under Mission Mode of our government, we will give additional funds and provide extra apparatus for those suffering from this disease."

He said that a total of 21,207 cases of suspected TB have been detected in Mumbai during 2013-14, out of which 3,020 are MDR-TB and 256 cases are extremely drug resistant.

As per the health department estimates, Maharashtra is home to over 1.3 lakh TB patients. Though tuberculosis is a curable disease, drug-resistant forms are on the rise.

The prime reason for the rise in drug resistant TB is the inherent weakness of the state-run TB control programme and lack of awareness among patients who invariably miss the course. TB treatment usually lasts for six months.