Bahanaga: As many as 147 persons were affected by infectious Tuberculosis (TB) at many villages under Bahanaga block in Balasore district over past three years, government record suggested.
Even as the National Health Mission (NHM) and the State Health and Family Welfare Department pumped in crores of rupees to eradicate the disease, they have not served the purpose. The disease seems to be spreading like a fire in Bahanaga area.
The disease is mostly seen in women as they are vulnerable to smoke. Involuntarily, they take in smoke that is the prime cause of the disease.
For men, the disease is caused due to excess smoking of cigarette, ganja and drugs. The tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but can also affect other parts of the body. The symptoms of TB are a chronic cough with blood-containing sputum, fever, night sweats and weight loss.
This disease is mostly spread through the air when people who have active TB in their lungs cough, spit or sneeze. At least 2-2.50 lakh bacteria are released during cough of a TB affected person. The bacteria spread in the area and affect other persons.
As per reports, as many as 77 persons were affected by TB in Bahanaga block in 2016. Similarly, another 60 persons were affected by the disease in 2017 while 10 persons are undergoing treatment in the hospital since the beginning of 2018.
When contacted, Gopalpur CHC’s malaria and TB control officer Dhaneswar Panigrahy said the government spreads awareness of the disease through advertisements on TV and radio. If people do not follow the guidelines nothing can be done, he added. PNN
