West Bengal health department to help private hospitals in Tb fights

The state health department has decided to set up Drug Resistant Tuberculosis (DRTB) centers in private hospitals to effectively control and eliminate tuberculosis in Bengal. The launch event was held at CMRI on Wednesday. The hospital has become a TB nodal center for private hospitals. He will work closely with the state TB cell.

Senior doctor Sukumar Mukherjee, who was present at the hospital in Alipore on Wednesday, highlighted early diagnosis, optimal treatment and surveillance as important tools. Senior doctor with state TB cell Swapna Mukhopadhyay, district TB officer Alipore Himansu Chaudhuri and WHO representatives were present.

CMRI will now function as a TB nodal center for private hospitals in Kolkata, where patients from private hospitals can be referred and government-supplied drugs can be administered. "Such hand holding by the state government will go a long way in eliminating TB," CMRI pulmonologist Raja Dhar said. The hospital formalizes the DRTB committee for the center.

Health ministry sources said more than 70% of TB notifications come from government hospitals. "Private hospitals need to be brought on board to collaborate with the state. We hope more hospitals like CMRI will come on board," said Tapan Saha, assistant director of health services (TB).