Old City of Hyderabad witnesses alarming rise in TB cases

Hyderabad: The Old City of Hyderabad is witnessing an alarming rise in the number of tuberculosis cases. From 2018 to 2019, the number of TB cases in Hyderabad increased by 40 percent.

As per the data available on Nikshay portal, a website launched by the Union government under the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP), in 2018, the number of cases was 10836 whereas, in 2019, it became 16481.

Urban congestion

Urban congestion is one of the biggest causes of the rise in the number of cases which is mainly reported in slum areas of the city.

Dr Mahaboob Khan, superintendent, TB and Chest Hospital revealed that a patient usually infects 10 to 12 other persons. It is mandatory for the infected person to continue the treatment for six months. However, patients usually stop taking medicines after 3-4 weeks as symptoms of the decease disappear.

Deadline to eradicate TB

As the Center has set a deadline of 2025 to eradicate TB, health authorities are gearing up to trace patients and provide necessary treatment to them.

It may be noted that high TB cases are reported in the following areas in Hyderabad:

  1. Shaheenagar
  2. Babanagar
  3. Jangampet
  4. Wadi
  5. Bandlaguda
  6. Erakunta
  7. Ghouse Nagar
  8. Nampally
  9. Dhoolpet
  10. Jira
  11. Habeeb Nagar
  12. Ahmed Nagar
  13. Jehangirabad
  14. Indira Nagar etc.