Tuberculosis – a new pandemic in India after COVID-19

After the COVID-19 storm passed India In 2021, causing heavy losses with more than half a million deaths, India is facing a new pandemic. An equally terrible ‘murderer’ that was forgotten in the COVID-19 era, that is tuberculosis. The reality is that the danger from that ‘murderer’ has never diminished. The number of people with pulmonary TB in India accounts for a quarter of all TB cases in the world. Half a million Indians have also died from tuberculosis in 2020 alone, even though it is a curable disease.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of deaths from pulmonary tuberculosis around the world increased for the first time in more than a decade, reversing years of efforts to combat tuberculosis by countries.

One-third of the world’s TB deaths will occur in India in 2020, because COVID-19 measures have reduced resources devoted to TB work. During the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly two-thirds of people with TB symptoms in India did not seek treatment.

Ms. Pranita Tipre – TB Program Manager, Mumbai, India said: “Because the symptoms of COVID-19 are similar to those of tuberculosis, we noticed that people do not go for TB testing because they are afraid of doctors. force them to be tested for COVID-19, if the result is positive, they will be sent to quarantine. So they don’t get tested for TB.”

Now, one consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic is that India faces an unequal battle with tuberculosis. Experts and volunteers call for campaigns to root out undetected cases, increase funds for anti-TB vaccines and reverse malnutrition – a factor that facilitates the onset of tuberculosis. broadcast.

However, the COVID-19 pandemic also brings a positive point, that is, people increasingly wear masks. Experts estimate that this practice has helped reduce the spread of tuberculosis by 20%.

So, going back to the current fight against tuberculosis, Indian doctors think that if there is a will like when fighting against COVID-19, the fight against tuberculosis will achieve positive results.

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