174 new cases of TB found in Kohalpur

By Siraj Khan,Nepalgunj, July 4: At a time when the campaign to make Kohalpur a tuberculosis-free municipality was gaining momentum, 174 new tuberculosis infected have been identified in Kohalpur Municipality. 

According to the municipality, the tuberculosis treatment completion rate is 94.9 per cent in Kohalpur while the new case detection rate is 163 per 100,000 and the death rate is 1.9 per cent.

Prem Pandey, the focal person for the municipality's tuberculosis-free campaign, said that the new tuberculosis infected identified in the current fiscal year are taking regular medications.

One has been admitted to Nepalgunj TB Hospital for treatment while 22 patients regularly receive medicines and nutritious foods. 

As part of the campaign, TB patients are provided nutritional food for at least six months. 

Pandey, the focal person, stated that nourishing food will be distributed to low-income, poor and disabled individuals to improve their nutrition.

Kohalpur Municipality informed that individuals diagnosed with TB are taking their medication regularly. 

The government is implementing various programmes to eradicate tuberculosis in Nepal by 2050.

Mayor of Kohalpur Municipality Purna Prasad Acharya said that the municipality is also running a campaign to eradicate tuberculosis by prioritising public awareness, early screening and management programmes. 

Mayor Acharya mentioned that there are DOTS centers in all 15 wards of Kohalpur. 

He also said that patients diagnosed with TB in these wards are regularly taking their medications from the DOTS centers.

According to him, volunteers have been mobilised in each ward of Kohalpur Municipality to identify TB patients. They reach door to door to look for TB patients.

Ramesh Bhandari, coordinator of the campaign, said that patients with symptoms of tuberculosis were sent to Nepalgunj Medical College, Bheri Hospital, and the TB Hospital for check-ups.

According to him, the municipality has formed ward-level committees to create a security plan and review progress at the ward level to eradicate tuberculosis.