Shillong, January 23: Doctors and staff of the District Tuberculosis Office, East Khasi Hills District on 23rd July, 2025 visited Lower Lumparing locality to explain and sensitize to the people of this village on Tuberculosis.
Dr. B R. Garod, Medical Officer, Incharge of Lumparing UPHC highlighted the significance of Tuberculosis, its impact at the society. She further explained on the signs and symptoms of Tuberculosis which includes coughing with or without blood for more than 2 weeks, fever, weight loss, loss of appetite, fatigue, night sweats, chest pain, lumps in any parts of the body, chronic illness. She encourages the community members not to be afraid but to come forward if they have such symptoms for screening oneself.
Dr. Bayarilin Shanpru, District TB Officer, East Khasi Hills District in her keynote said that TB is a preventable and curable disease with right treatment available free of cost in all Government health facilities.
In line with the state and country goals of eliminating TB by 2025, Dr. Shanpru talks about the new initiative of the government known as PRADHAN MANTRI TB MUKT BHARAT ABHIYAAN (PMTBMBA).
She also talks about the objectives and initiatives of the government in calling potential donors to be a Nikshay Mitra in providing additional patient support through distribution of food baskets to improve the treatment outcome of TB patients and to uplift the nutritional requirements during the course of treatment. She mentioned that the District is currently having 556 patients who are currently on treatment and the success rate is 85% which implies that TB is curable and treatable.
This program is also part of the 100 Day Intensified TB campaign which focuses on TB sensitization and screening to vulnerable populations.This campaign is designed to strengthen programmatic activities to improve TB outcomes across the country.
The objectives of the campaign are to increase case detection through intensified case finding drives using advanced screening and diagnostic technologies to reduce delays in diagnosis and treatment initiation.
Andrew Marbaniang a TB Champion who have recovered from TB also presented today, provided a testimony of how he himself recovered from TB. He leads an example of how right and timely treatment enable him to cured from TB. He therefore encouraged all patients to take the medicine properly so all of us will live towards a TB Free society.
The public awareness campaign was attended in the presence of the District Tuberculosis Officer of East Khasi Hills District, Dr. B. Shanpru, Medical Officer Incharge of Lumparing Urban Primary Health Centre, Dr. B R Garod, Bah Andrew Marbaniang a TB Champion who have recovered from TB, Rangbah Shnong Bah D. Shabong and the residents.
