Karnataka Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar on Tuesday urged people who have recovered from Covid and their family members to voluntarily get evaluated for Tuberculosis (TB). “There are more than 28 lakh people in the state who have recovered from the COVID-19 infection. Since both COVID-19 and TB infect the lungs we have launched a special drive to ensure early detection of TB in people who have recovered from the virus,” the minister said at the Vidhana Soudha here after launching the special TB test drive which will be held across the state from August 16 to 31.
He said, “People who have recovered from Covid-19 should voluntarily get themselves evaluated for TB. If it is detected at an early stage treatment will become easier.”
Sudhakar said the state government has initiated this special drive to evaluate post-COVID-19 complications in people who have recovered from novel cororavirus infection. Since 2017, as many as 75 lakh suspected TB cases have been identified and 88 per cent of them have been tested.
About 3.9 per cent have been detected with tuberculosis, the minister said. He also said due to the Covid pandemic, the TB evaluation drives have been slightly hit.
Sudhakar insisted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi too has laid a vision to make India free from TB by 2025 and the state government has been working towards this goal. The Health Minister said a new initiative called ‘Aryogya Nandana’ will be launched keeping in mind the experts’ view that the third wave of COVID may affect children.
“There are about 1.5 crore children in the state and all of them will be subjected to tests under this initiative. This will be launched by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai soon,” Sudhakar said.
Under this programme, children with lesser immunity and other comorbidities will be identified and they will be provided with nutritious food and supplements to boost immunity. All precautionary measures will be taken to monitor their health, the minister explained.
Regarding vaccines, Sudhakar said the state has set an ambitious target to fully inoculate the entire eligible adult population in the state by December.
“I will soon visit Delhi to seek additional supply of vaccines to our state. Private sector can procure 25 per cent of the vaccine production. We are having discussions with corporate companies to explore possibilities of companies procuring vaccines under CSR and providing it to state Government. This will significantly accelerate the vaccination drive,” minister said.
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