A total of seven lakh people were screened in the Active Tuberculosis Search Campaign (ACF) conducted from February 20 to March 4 in the Varanasi district. The campaign aimed to identify TB patients in the early stages and provide them with treatment for six months.1890 people were found to have possible symptoms of TB during the screening, and 88 patients were confirmed to have TB after undergoing a sputum test and X-ray. The Health Department has already initiated the treatment of these patients to cure them of the disease.Early detection is key to preventing the spread of TBDr Sandeep Chowdhary, the CMO, highlighted the importance of early detection in curing TB patients. Continuous treatment for six months can effectively cure patients in the early stages of the disease. However, the disease can start increasing if the treatment is left incomplete.Door-to-door screening for patients with TB symptomsThe District Tuberculosis Officer, Dr Piyush Rai, stated that the screening campaign involved door-to-door identifying patients with TB symptoms. Currently, the district has 6273 TB patients undergoing treatment, including 588 with Multi-Drug Resistant (MDR) TB.Petroleum Dealers Association President adopts 75 TB patientsVaranasi Petroleum Dealers Association President, Vinod Kumar Singh, has taken a noble initiative by adopting 75 TB patients. All the patients will receive nutrition bundles prepared by the Uttar Pradesh Rural Livelihood Mission, and a special campaign will be run for six months. Dealers from the association will visit the patients once a month to check on their progress, and the patients mobile numbers will be taken to keep track of their health.ConclusionIn conclusion, the Active Tuberculosis Search Campaign (ACF) conducted in the Varanasi district has detected 88 TB patients, with treatment initiated to cure them. Early detection and continuous treatment are crucial in preventing the spread of the disease. The initiative taken by Varanasi Petroleum Dealers Association President to adopt 75 TB patients is an inspiring step towards eradicating TB from the district.
