Himachal (The Stellar News): Department of Posts will help the state Health Department to speed up the investigation of sputum of patients for Tuberculosis. This was stated by Mission Director National Health Mission, Dr. Nipun Jindal informed here today. He said that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between the National Health Mission and the Department of Posts in this regard. Tuberculosis Officer Dr. Gopal Beri,State signed the Memorandum of Understanding on behalf of the Health Department.
He said that now the sputum samples for investigation of Tuberculosis shall be submitted by the health staff to the nearest Post office, well packed as per the Biomedical Protocol and delivered to the intended lab within the stipulated time. Earlier samples transport from designated microscopic centers to molecular testing sites and drug susceptibility testing sites was being performed through human couriers who be local Asha, any other community worker or hospital working staff.
Dr. Nipun Jindal said that this shall be a major milestone for timely and streamlined delivery of the sputum samples especially keeping in view the anticipated increase during the ongoing active case finding campaign ‘Him Suraksha’ Since, diagnosis of Tuberculosis is paramount for notification, treatment and breaking the chain of transmission, the State has also expanded the diagnostic net with operationalisation of ten designated microscopic centres in the Ayurvedic institutions of the State and four DMCs (Designated Microscopic Centers) in various jails across the State in the last six months, in addition to 218 DMCs already functional. He informed that in a recent rating released by the Government of India for the time period between January-July, 2020 the State has topped the country in rating on a whole under the program wherein the Government of India assesses the performance of the State on nine indicators like Tuberculosis notification universal drug susceptibility testing, treatment success rate, chemoprophylaxis to children and people living with HIV, etc. Himachal Pradesh has been a consistent performer in the National Tuberculosis Elimination Program and it is leading the country as far as various parameters under the program are concerned.
