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Though Karnataka has been hit by three waves of the COVID-19 pandemic, a total of 14 districts have received awards for curing tuberculosis, informed Health and Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar on Thursday.
He said that as many as five districts have received Silver medals for curbing TB while nine received bronze medals in Karnataka. Speaking at an event organized by the State Health Department on the occasion of the 'World TB Day,' he said, "A total of five districts in our state have received Silver medals for curbing TB. In these districts, if we compare the previous years' statistics, there has been a reduction of 40 per cent." "Similarly, nine districts have received Bronze medals. It is commendable that a total of 14 districts have significantly curbed TB. In future years, more measures need to be taken to curb TB and we must receive a Gold medal. We must ensure TB-free Karnataka by 2025," the minister said. For the first time in India, Tuberculosis screening has been conducted by the government for those who have recovered from COVID-19 in Karnataka, Sudhakar said. "Among 25 lakh people who were tested, 144 people were found to have TB. These people have contracted TB after recovering COVID-19. So, the government has sought a detailed report on the incidence of TB in COVID recovered patients. The State government is committed to making Karnataka TB free by 2025," he said. The minister said that Tuberculosis is a contagious disease like COVID-19 but it is caused by bacteria, unlike coronavirus. He said that the Central government led by PM Modi has aimed to make India TB free by 2025. "This cannot be done just by doctors and the government. The entire society needs to join hands and work collectively to achieve this target," Sudhakar stated. Speaking about the treatment of Tuberculosis, he said that it must be initiated at the initial stage as soon as the symptoms become apparent. "People must undergo the test if any of these symptoms are seen - cough for more than two weeks, fevers in the evening, sudden weight loss etc. All government hospitals have facilities to conduct TB tests. If detected early, the treatment given will be more effective," he added. In addition, the State government is also spending more than Rs 5 crore every year to create awareness about diseases in rural areas, he said. World TB Day is observed every year on March 24 to commemorate the anniversary of Dr Robert Koch's discovery of the Tuberculosis (TB) bacteria. (ANI)
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