25% dip in TB cases in 2020; expert cite low screening amid lockdown

There was nearly a 25% reduction in the number of tuberculosis (TB) cases reported in 2020 as compared to the previous year, which experts believe was mainly due to Covid-19-related lockdowns and other restrictions that kept people away from healthcare facilities.

According to data provided by the Union health ministry in Lok Sabha on Tuesday, India reported 1.8 million TB cases between January and December 2020 as compared to 2.4 million the year before.

While India’s first Covid-19 case was reported in January-end in 2020, the infection started spreading only in March that year. A nationwide lockdown was implemented on March 24 to curb the spread of the virus.

“During the lockdown, people weren’t able to go and get themselves tested. There was also a lot of fear of exposure to the virus, because of which no one wanted to go to the hospital. Even our staff had faced problems in reaching the centre and the daily testing was reduced,” Dr KK Chopra, director of New Delhi TB Centre, said.

Directly Observed Therapy (DOT) is the mainstay of the TB programme where medicines are given under the supervision of a healthcare worker at the health centre. However, during the pandemic, patients were given medicines for one month together to help them continue with their treatment and teleconsultations were held to ensure compliance.

All DOTS centres were allowed to give medicines to patients from other states or areas who were stranded in various places during the lockdown. Non-governmental organisations were also roped in to deliver medicines to those who were unable to visit the centres.

“We also collaborated with private medical practitioners to collect sputum samples from patients for testing. We were much better prepared during the second wave and are also wellequipped in case of any surge in Covid cases in the future,” Dr Chopra said, adding that more TB cases were gradually repo towards the latter half of 202

“Covid-19 is an acute infec and there is a lot of fear in pe too, prompting them to visit h tals each time they experience of the symptoms. People us do not do that with TB whi chronic. Cross referral of pati from TB and Covid-19 clinics ally helped in detecting m cases,” he said.

A drop in TB cases reported also because out-pa clinics remained shut during even after the lockdown. “impact of Covid-19 was seen only on TB but other diseas well; the out patient departm or OPDS had stopped runnin months together,” said Dr Khilnani, former head of department of pulmonology a All India Institute of Medical ences.

Experts fear that the und nosed cases of TB could facil the spread of the infection, wearing of masks by a majori the population might hav unintended but pleasant imp

“TB is a droplet infectio people wearing masks will pre the spread of the infection. current dip in numbers is because of that – the incuba period of TB is longer – but we see an impact in the future, Khilnani said.