Bhubaneswar, March 28: Around 40 per cent of India’s population carry the tuberculosis (TB) bacteria but they go untreated because they don’t display any symptom, experts said at a World TB Day program organised at the Institute of Medical Sciences and SUM Hospital here on Saturday.
This population is known to be carriers of latent TB infection (LTBI) where the bacteria remains inactive though present, they said.
Social stigma attached to the disease also stood in the way of extensive treatment of the affected persons as many preferred not to go for medical assistance, Prof. (Dr.) Sudarshan Pothal, Head of the Pulmonary Medicine department of Sri Jagannath Medical College and Hospital at Puri, said.
“If the patients come forward for treatment instead of hiding it, it would lead to recovery from the disease,” Prof. (Dr.) Pothal, who was the chief speaker on the occasion, said adding there was need for awareness in the society to make India tuberculosis-free.
Prof. (Dr.) Sanghamitra Mishra, Dean of IMS and SUM Hospital, who was the chief guest, said that the hospital would be opening a multi-drug resistant TB ward soon. She emphasized on the need for spreading awareness about tuberculosis with the assistance of health workers, Ashakarmis and students.
Prof. (Dr.) Mishra said the World Health Organisation (WHO) aimed to make the world TB-free by 2036. She also elaborated on the theme of World TB Day for 2026 which read ‘Yes! We can end TB: Led by countries, powered by people’.
Prof. Pushparaj Samantasinghar, Medical Superintendent of the hospital who also addressed the program, said that large number of TB patients were coming to IMS and SUM Hospital for treatment of TB and were getting cured.
Prof. (Dr.) Prakash Kumar Sahu, Additional Dean of IMS and SUM Hospital and Prof. (Dr.) Banani Jena, Head of the department of Pulmonary Medicine, also spoke on the occasion.
The program was also attended by Dr. Arghya Pradhan, State TB Officer, doctors, nurses and other officials. Prof. (Dr.) Rakhi Ludam of the Pulmonary Medicine department welcomed the guests while Dr. Pratim Chhotray, Associate Professor of the department proposed the vote of thanks.
