GUWAHATI, March 3 � Tuberculosis (TB) has not become a major problem in Assam�s tea gardens. It has not led to the death of workers. The proportion of TB patients reported to Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP) from tea gardens in Assam in the past two years ranges between 16 to 18 percent of the total case notifications under the RNTCP in the State, said Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Jagat Prakash Nadda today in reply to a question put up by Rajya Sabha member from the State Santiuse Kujur.
He further informed the Rajya Sabha that the treatment success rates reported among tea garden TB patients registered under RNTCP in Assam are consistent with the reported State and National treatment success rates.
Under RNTCP, Designated Microscopy Centres (DMC) are functioning in eight tea gardens in Assam. They are � Amguri and Mathurapur Tea Garden hospitals in Sivasagar district, Monabarie, Dufflagarh and Dhekiajuli Tea Garden hospitals in Sonitpur district, Longsual and Margherita Tea Garden hospitals in Tinsukia district and Dimakuchi Tea Garden hospital in Udalguri district. These hospitals are providing free of cost TB diagnostic services.
Provisions for collection of sputum samples of TB suspects among tea garden workers and transportation of these samples to nearest DMC for sputum examination have been made.
Directly Observed Treatment, Short-Course (DOT) Centres have been established in tea gardens of Assam, wherein treatment to TB patients is being provided free-of-cost, the Minister said.
