From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Bengaluru, Aug 17: Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr K Sudhakar, who is also heading the Medical Education Department, has asked all Covid recovered people to get themselves and their family members to voluntarily evaluated for Tuberculosis.
Addressing a function at Vidhana Soudha a special TB test drive will be held for a fortnight till the end of this month, the minister said the State Government would be testing 1.5 crore children all over the State.
"We have initiated a special drive to evaluate post-Covid complications in people who have recovered from Covid-19 infection. There are more than 28 lakh people in the state who have recovered from the infection. Since both Covid-19 and TB infect the lungs, we have launched this special drive to ensure early detection of TB in people who have recovered from Covid,’’ he said.
Dr Sudhakar said people who have recovered from Covid-19 should voluntarily get themselves evaluated for TB. If it is detected at an early stage treatment will become easier.
The ministe4 said since 2017, 75 lakh suspected cases have been identified and 88% of them have been tested. About 3.9% have been detected with TB.
Due to the Covid pandemic, the TB evaluation drives have been slightly hit. The Union government wants India free from TB by 2025 and government is working towards this goal, minister said.
As children may be predominantly affected during third wave, the State Government has decided to launch a new initiative called 'ArogyaNandana.’ There are about 1.5 crore children in the state and all of them will be subjected to test under this initiative.
ArogyaNandana programme will be launched by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai soon, the minister said explaining that under this program, children with less immunity power and other comorbidities will be identified and they will be provided with nutritious food and supplements to boost immunity. All precautionary measures will be taken to monitor their health.
"We have set an ambitious target to fully inoculate the entire eligible adult population in the state by December. I will soon visit Delhi to seek additional supply of vaccine to our State. Private sector can procure 25% of the vaccine production. We are having discussions with corporate companies to explore possibilities of companies procuring vaccines under CSR and providing it to state Government. This will significantly accelerate the vaccination drive,’’ minister said.
It is unfortunate that Covid infected persons have committed suicide in Mangaluru. People should not panic if they are infected.
"Covid-19 is curable and lakhs of people have recovered,’’ minister said.