4,383 TB patients identified last year in Salem district, says Collector

Salem and Namakkal district collectors honor TB fighters, promote awareness, and work towards making all panchayats TB-free.

A total of 4,383 people were diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB) in Salem district last year and provided treatment, District Collector R. Brindha Devi said on Monday, while presiding over a function at the Government Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College Hospital (GMKMCH) to observe World TB Day.

Certificates of appreciation were given to doctors and volunteers for their contribution to the fight against of TB, and 72 village panchayats were certified TB-free. “Steps are being taken to make all panchayats TB-free. People with poor immunity are at greater risk of the disease, and people experiencing symptoms of TB should immediately take the test, consult the doctors, and get themselves treated at government hospitals, where it is free,” Ms. Brindha Devi added.

The collector added that TB patients treated at private facilities should upload information to the NIKSHAY website. Additionally, under the Nikshay Poshan Yojana, patients undergoing TB treatment receive monthly financial assistance of ₹1,000 until their treatment is complete. This support aims to alleviate their economic burden and ensure access to nutritional food, Ms. Brindha Devi said.

Special beds are available for tuberculosis (TB) patients in several government hospitals throughout the district, the collector said, adding that tests were conducted on 139,050 individuals in the district last year, of whom 4,383 were diagnosed with TB, and provided treatment. To admit severely affected patients, special beds are exclusively provided at GMKMCH, government hospitals in Attur, Omalur, Sankari, and Edappadi, the Collector added.

Later, the collector inaugurated the awareness signature campaign regarding TB and took a pledge to eliminate TB in Salem district. In the event, GMKMCH Dean J. Devi Meenal, Hospital Superintendent R. Rajkumar and doctors and nurses participated.

Namakkal District Collector S. Uma participated in an event held at the old district medical college hospital at Mohanur Road in Namakkal district to mark World TB Day, where she distributed appreciation certificates to people who contributed to the fight against TB. The Collector said that Namakkal came first in the TB Free Tamil Nadu program for the year 2024 with the highest number of TB-free village panchayats (197 panchayats). In that, 83 panchayats received silver medals and 114 panchayats received bronze medals, the Collector added.