Manipur: State TB cell and CONE starts month-long campaign tracing socially vulnerable active TB cases 

With an aim to help reduce diagnosis and treatment delays and prevent the spread of tuberculosis (TB) thereby contributing to the government's effort to eliminate TB by 2025, Community Network for Empowerment (CONE) in association with State TB Cell, Manipur has launched a month-long active case finding (ACF) campaign of TB among socially vulnerable groups, as a pilot initiative in the state on January 12.

Depending on the result of the experimental trial, it has been agreed upon between CONE and the State TB Cell that the same initiative will be further expanded in other districts of the state.

The first of its kind intervention on active case finding of TB in the state among a particular community injecting drug users (IDUs) which is considered as socially vulnerable kick started at Vision of Hope Drugs and Alcohol De Addiction Treatment Centre, Khonghampat wherein 36 inmates of the centre were provided with diagnosis and treatment facilities.

ACF or systematic screening for tuberculosis is an important tool to reach out to missing TB patients. These interventions are designed to directly identify people living with undiagnosed TB in the community but may also have an indirect impact on wider TB case detection.

CONE President RK Nalinikanta briefing media persons at the side-lines of the campaign, informed that community- based active case-finding (ACF) have important impacts on routine TB case-detection and subsequent patient-initiated diagnosis pathways. It will also be contributing to infectious diseases prevention and care, he said.

Globally, as per WHO report 2021, a total of 1.6 million people have died of TB every year. With an estimated 480,000 people were killed every year by TB and 1,400 every year in India. It continues to be the severest health crisis despite the various activities are taken up for TB control activities for more than 50 years, he said.

He also informed that India has now developed a national strategic plan with a set goal to eliminate TB by 2025 and the active TB case finding among key populations, especially socially vulnerable and clinically high-risk groups, is one of the thrust areas. 

Nalinikanta further said that since the drug users community who are undergoing treatment at drug de-addiction centre also falls under the socially vulnerable and clinically high-risk groups. CoNE has tied up with the State TB Cell and launched the AFC of TB among this group so as to contribute to the government's effort of eliminating TB by 2025.

K Deben, Advocacy, Communication and Social Mobilization Officer, State TB Cell, Lamphelpat who was also present at the opening day of the campaign at Khonghampat provided basic awareness on TB. He informed that the state TB cell has organised many ACF in the state during the past many years among the general population. However, this is the first time that the state TB cell in association with CoNE, has initiated a month-long campaign among the drug users community settled in drug treatment centres to trace evidence of TB cases and initiate treatment and further reduce morbidity and prevent mortality.

During the campaign, a total of four campaigns will be conducted in different drug de-addiction centres located in Imphal East and Imphal West.