Kanimozhi flags off drive against TB

MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi and Ministers P. Geetha Jeevan and Anitha R. Radhakrishnan flagging off the 100-day ‘TB-free Tamil Nadu’ campaign at the Thoothukudi Government Medical College Hospital on Saturday.
| Photo Credit: N. RAJESH

Lok Sabha member from Thoothukudi Kanimozhi Karunanidhi launched the 100-day campaign “Tuberculosis-free Tamil Nadu” at the Government Medical College and Hospital in Thoothukudi on Saturday.

The campaign had been launched nationwide as part of efforts to reduce tuberculosis prevalence across the country. In Tamil Nadu, the Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine was implementing the initiative across the State.

K. Sundaralingam, Deputy Director (Tuberculosis), Thoothukudi, told The Hindu that a vehicle fitted with an X-ray unit, which was flagged by Ms. Kanimozhi, would travel across the areas within the Thoothukudi Corporation limits in the first week before covering other parts of the district.

He said the campaign’s primary focus areas of screening includes old age homes, factories, salt pan workers, diabetics, and slums. Sputum samples will be collected from the individuals displaying symptoms of tuberculosis and those testing positive will be immediately taken under the treatment. Additionally, preventive medicines will be offered to the family members of TB patients.

After launching the campaign, the MP visited the medical camp organised for persons with disabilities and provided welfare assistance totalling to ₹25 lakh to 25 beneficiaries.

Thoothukudi District Collector K. Elambahavath, Minister for Social Welfare and Women Empowerment P. Geetha Jeevan, Minister for Animal Husbandry and Fisheries Anitha R. Radhakrishnan, and Thoothukudi Government Medical College Dean G. Sivakumar were present.