Mizoram reports 121 multidrug-resistant TB Deaths since January
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Aizawl: Emphasising the urgent need for continued vigilance and improved access to advanced treatment options, the National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP) under the National Health Mission (NHM) reported 121 deaths between January and October 10, officials
According to a UNI report, NTEP officials reported that 1,870 new TB cases were detected from 97,467 samples tested during the period. Of these, 1,126 are men and 744 women, reflecting the persistence of the disease across gender and age groups.
Further analysis showed that 1,761 of those infected are above 14 years, while 109 are children under that age. Officials expressed concern that although Mizoram has achieved a treatment success rate of around 82 percent, the fatality rate among patients with Multidrug-Resistant TB (MDR-TB) remains alarmingly high.
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“All the 121 people who lost their lives were MDR-TB patients,” the officials confirmed, highlighting the urgent need for continued vigilance and access to advanced treatment options.
The report also highlighted the interlinkage between TB and HIV, noting that 211 people living with HIV (PLHIV) were found to be co-infected with TB during the same period. The dual burden of TB and HIV continues to pose a significant challenge to public health management in the state.
Mizoram has long been one of the states most affected by Tuberculosis relative to its population, and despite consistent efforts under the NTEP, health officials admit that drug resistance and late diagnosis continue to pose major challenges in the fight to eliminate the disease.
Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that a public health entomologist from the Health & Family Welfare Department's Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) has warned about the growing spread of scrub typhus across Mizoram, which is now reaching endemic proportions. Since 2012, government healthcare facilities alone have recorded 913 confirmed cases of scrub typhus, with 34 deaths.
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