Dimapur district’s National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP) has been conducting active case-finding (ACF) of TB in individuals under Dimapur district since January 23, led by DTO Dimapur, Dr. Benchilo Ngullie.
A press release by media officer, NHM Dimapur, Kimnei stated that the ongoing ACF was effectively conducted at central jail, sub-jail, Ura villa colony, 4th to 6th mile stone quarries, day & night shelter home and Miqlat Ministry Centre, Singrijan. Three TB cases were detected during the ACF and have been initiated for treatment.
It may be noted that NHM Dimapur ACF is an activity to reach the unreached in a campaign mode to enhance TB case finding.
Vulnerable areas have been mapped and house to house case-finding activity is being carried out to screen for people having TB symptoms like cough, fever, sudden weight loss, night sweating and to get tested by CBNAAT for early and definitive diagnosis of TB and rifampicin resistance.
The activity is carried out every year since 2017 and is an important complementary strategy to accelerate case detection to achieve the national goal to eliminate TB by 2025. It is provider-initiated and systematic searching for TB in individuals who would not otherwise seek health services and bringing them into care for diagnosis and treatment.
ACF strategy may be both economically and epidemiologically relevant and may bring down the level of transmission.