Dimapur, January 23 (DIPR): State TB Officer, Dr. K.T. Lotha, who chaired the programme briefed on the status of RNTCP in the country and said that India is the highest Tuberculosis (TB) burden country accounting for 1/5 of the Global Incidence, Global Annual Incidence estimate is 9.4 million cases out of which it is estimated that 1.98 million cases are from India and India stands 17th among the 22 high burden countries in terms of TB Incidence Rate. Based on the internationally recommended (DOTS) strategy, the RNTCP project was launched in the state on December 1, 2002 and for Dimapur in the year 2004, RNCTP are being established in all the 11 districts and there are 46 Designated Microscopic Centre in the state, there are 25,000 registered TB patient in the state since inception, and the Cure Detection Rate (CDR) is 70% and Cure rate (CR) is 85% which is above the national target rate. He also lamented that there are some district in the state, RNCTP projects are not performing up to the mark. He added that Dimapur district being one of the best RNTCP implementing districts in the state in spite of the high population; it is due to the collective efforts of the officers and the subordinates.
Dr. K.T Lotha said the objective of the programme are to achieve and to maintain cure rate of at least 85% among the new sputum positive patients, to achieve and maintain case detection of at least 70% of the estimated NST cases in the community. He said since inception, the programme has initiated more than 26000 patients on treatment and has consistently maintain the treatment success rate and case detection rate above the Global target for TB control since from 2007.
On TB/HIV collaborative activities, he said the state has launched actively the intensified TB/HIV package was started from September 2008 for intensified case referral between the programme (RNTCP & SACS) referral of registered TB patient to ICTC for VCT is slowly increasing from 18% to 64% and co-infection is 7-8%.
On Private Public Mix (PPM) activities, He said more than eighteen (18) NGO's are involved in sign schemes and ten (10) private practitioner are involved, besides these, CHAI (Mokokchung, Mon & Tuensang) EHA, CBCI in Phek and Zunheboto are actively involved in RNCTP Projects.
On DOTS-Plus for management of MDR TB he said it is under preparatory stage and has already trained 14 officers at national level and 15 medical officers of Dimapur District has been trained at state level. Dr. Lotha said there are some districts in the state, where RNCTP projects are not performing up to the mark which he urged the implementing officers and the subordinates to give their best, he added that Dimapur district being one of the best RNTCP implementing districts in the state. In spite of high population, it is due to the collective efforts of the officers and the subordinate. He also said that the national scenario on co-effected HIV/TB is rate stood at 5 - 6 % and the Nagaland state has 9 -10 % because of the high prevalence rate the state has established intensify voluntary and testing counseling on HIV/ TB centre in all the district to implement the basic DOTS and Multi- Drugs resistant TB which includes free treatment , Investigation, Medical test and the treatment.
