More than 40 pc of youngsters are now affected with tuberculosis

According to the senior doctor of Sewri TB hospital, tuberculosis is become a new killer disease for the youngsters below the age group of 30 because of their low immune system. He added that the youngsters are majorly affected with the bone tuberculosis which requires a timely treatment and proper medication otherwise it will lead to paralysis.

Dr Tejas Upasani, Orthopaedics of SRV hospital said, “More than 40 percent of youngsters below the age group of 30 are affected with bone TB.” There should be proper medication for the bone TB and it should be treated timely, otherwise the bone start deforming and it can lead the replacement surgery. “If it is not diagnosed on time a puss is forms inside the bone which will destroy the bone completely and will lead to paralysis,” added Dr Upasani.

The burden of the disease has risen exponentially with two people dying of tuberculosis every three minutes in the country and one patient infects 10 or more people in a year. The drug resistant forms of TB bacteria, low immunity to the disease and haphazard consumption of drugs have been the biggest challenges for doctors.

A senior doctor from Sewri TB hospital said, “There is lack of awareness among people about the TB due to which it is not diagnosed at the early stage. TB spreads through air and youngsters with low immunity are at greater risk to be affected.”

A senior doctor said, “The millions of people have latent TB infection which may develop into the disease at any point. The risk factors of diabetes undernourishment, poverty, indoor air pollution, poor living conditions in slums have also remained unaddressed due to ill-equipped government services and lack of access.”