Civic body to go home from home checking for TB cases in Mumbai

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) public health department will undertake a house-to-house active case finding (ACF) campaign to identify tuberculosis (TB) patients.

The survey will start from November 12. The health department aims to complete the drive on November 24.

During this time, groups of health workers will visit over 1.60 households to check around seven lakh citizens, in all age groups, for symptoms of TB — within a fortnight.

Around 297 groups of health workers will be working on the initiative.

Speaking about the campaign to control TB and detect patients in an early stage, Dr Padmaja Keskar, executive health officer of BMC's public health department, said, "The campaign will help us diagnose TB patients early and start their treatment immediately. It will create awareness. We have identified 65 areas in the city which have TB cases."

Last year saw a similar campaign under which over 300 teams were formed.

"If TB symptoms are found in any citizen, they will be given a voucher to get a medical check-up done for free at a BMC health post near them. They will be tested and if TB is confirmed , treatment will be given to them for free," said officials.

A recent report by Praja Foundation said Kurla, Santacruz and Bhandup were TB breeding grounds.

'GET CHECKED'

Citizens who have fever for more than two weeks and been coughing for longer should go to a nearby health clinic to get tested, said Dr Daksha Shah, head of BMC’s TB control cell.