Kozhikode Corporation’s TB Centre in a state of neglect
The Hindu
Corpn. areas have the highest concentration of TB patients in district
The Kozhikode Corporation continues to be among the worst performing local bodies in the district with regard to tuberculosis screening. The Corporation’s only TB Centre at Idiyangara has been mostly dysfunctional for the past ten years.
“Grama Panchayats in the district have been doing well in identifying and treating TB patients that many of them have nearly achieved zero per cent TB status. On the other hand, the Kozhikode Corporation seems least concerned about it, even though it has the highest concentration of TB patients in the district,” said P.P. Pramod Kumar, District TB and AIDS Control Officer.
Idiyangara, where the TB centre is located, Panniyankara, Kundungal and some of the coastal wards of the Corporation have a very high concentration of TB patients. As many as 333 TB cases were reported from private hospitals in the city alone in 2021, which points to the fact that the actual figures could be alarming, Dr. Kumar said.
Congress councillor at the Corporation Dr. P.N. Ajitha had mentioned in a recent meeting of the council that the TB Centre fell short in staff and infrastructure, which needed to be rectified immediately. The Centre needs a pulmonologist and a staff nurse. The only lab technician at the Centre was relocated to another health centre years ago. Now, the Health Centre in the same compound of the TB Centre caters for people who are referred from the Government Medical College Hospital.
Health Standing Committee Chairperson of the Corporation S. Jayasree said that there has never been a strong demand for the TB Centre from any quarters. She said that doctors were not ready to work in health centres under local bodies as their posts are not gazetted. “We need more permanent doctors and staff at the TB centre than those who do not stay back for more than six months, in order to revive the TB Centre,” she said.
Dr. Kumar demanded the Corporation take an effort to study the issue, conduct TB screening camps in every ward and do the needful to strengthen the TB Centre. He promised complete support of the District TB office for the purpose.
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