"Thirteen TB patients, out of all those undergoing treatment and in contact with the DPHO, had died in the last fiscal year," Basanta Man Shrestha, a health education officer, said. "Although the current fiscal year is yet to end, 15 patients have already succumbed to the disease."Shrestha attributed the death of most TB patients to their failure to take medicine regularly.
The DPHO has identified a total of 317 tuberculosis cases in the district during the current fiscal year. Of them, 275 have been receiving regular medical treatment. The remaining 122 have already returned home after receiving medical treatment for six months, according to the DPHO.
In the last fiscal year, 630 cases of tuberculosis were identified in the district.
Although most cases of TB are curable, carelessness in regular treatment, migration and breaking the course of medicine intake hampers recovery, DPHO's TB officer Ganesh Bhakta Gautam said.
Advanced TB diagnostic device unused
GeneXpert is a new technology for diagnosing serious and sensitive tuberculosis cases. Although the machine was already installed at the mid-western regional hospital, it has broken down, medical recorder Binod Basnet said. With frequent breakdown of GeneXpert and lack of technician, the public in the region has not been able to benefit from the device. The government has installed GeneXpert at 30 different locations. The device is useful for rapid diagnosis of TB cases as it gives result instantly after a cough sample is inserted into the machine.
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