616 new tuberculosis cases detected in Jhapa
Among the new cases, 379 are men and 219 are women.
KATHMANDU: A total of 616 new tuberculosis (TB) cases have been reported in Jhapa, including 27 children, according to Birendra Das, a TB resource person at the District Health Office.
Among the new cases, 379 are men and 219 are women.
In the first six months of the current fiscal year, 374 cases were detected through sputum smear microscopy, 89 through chest X-rays, and 151 through diagnosis of TB in organs other than the lungs.
Das also reported that 44 previously treated TB patients had relapsed.
The number of TB patients in Jhapa has been steadily increasing. In the fiscal year 2079/80, 1,045 new cases were detected, and in 2080/81, the number rose to 1,260. “If community-level TB screening campaigns were conducted, the number of cases would likely increase further,” Das noted, emphasizing the need for special investigations due to the contagious nature of TB.
Most new patients are between the ages of 25 and 55, with higher concentrations found in the towns of Damak and Mechinagar.
All TB patients in the district are required to take free medication for six months at government health facilities. Additionally, underprivileged patients who complete their medication course receive a monthly incentive of NPR 500.
Under the federal government’s TB-free initiative, three municipalities in Jhapa—Shivasatakshi, Birtamod, and Mechinagar—are actively promoting TB elimination efforts. The government has set a target to declare Nepal tuberculosis-free by the year 2050.
What is Tuberculosis?
Tuberculosis (TB) is a contagious disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis, primarily affecting the lungs. It spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. While TB mostly affects the lungs, it can also impact the heart, bones, joints, and brain.
Those at higher risk of contracting TB include individuals with malnutrition, smokers, diabetes patients, alcohol users, HIV-positive individuals, and those with weakened immune systems.
Key symptoms include prolonged coughing (lasting more than two weeks), fever at night, weight loss, and loss of appetite.
