Patients admitted to Delhi hospitals for one illness could soon be screened for tuberculosis too, under a proposal put forward by Lieutenant Governor Sardar Taranjit Singh Sandhu.
Sandhu has suggested that hospitals screen patients for TB at the time of admission, regardless of the ailment they are being treated for. The screening would be done with the consent of the patient or family. Sandhu has directed officials to meet both targets within the deadline and address the operational gaps holding back progress. Sandhu has also directed officials to intensify TB screening in high-risk wards and congregate settings. Officials have been asked to step up social media and other media outreach to reduce the stigma around TB and encourage people to come forward for testing. A shortage of radiographers is also holding back the full deployment of AI-enabled handheld X-ray machines for TB screening. Sandhu also directed officials to clear pending Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) payments to eligible beneficiaries without delay. The review was the LG’s second assessment of Delhi’s TB programme.
The LG has directed officials to address the manpower shortage urgently so that the available equipment can be deployed. The proposal comes as Delhi is behind key targets under its TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan, with the September 30 deadline approaching. TB Preventive Treatment (TPT) coverage among eligible household contacts is currently 55 per cent, against the target of 80 per cent. Differentiated TB Care stands at 74 per cent, against the target of 90 per cent. His first review was held on June 23. With the September 30 deadline approaching, officials have been asked to step up screening and close the gap in TB preventive treatment and differentiated care.
