On the World Tuberculosis Day, as India continues to struggle with its fight to eliminate TB, Dr. Pillarisetti Naveen Saradhi, Consultant Pediatric Pulmonologist, Rainbow Children's Hospitals Hyderabad, tells THE WEEK the challenges that lie ahead.
India had set 2025 as the target year for elimination of TB. what is your observation in this regard?
I think we may take a bit longer to get there. There are still a lot of TB cases coining through. There are multiple reasons for this.
As a practicing doctor, have you seen a rise in the cases of childhood tuberculosis in the past three years?
The problem with TB in children is that it is diagnosed by community pediatricians and hospitals, both private and public. So the problem is proper reporting of cases unlike in the western world. The numbers are steady and I would say there is not an increase or decrease in my experience.
What are the challenges with regards to tackling tuberculosis in children in our country? And why are our children contracting TB in the first place?
Children contract TB from adult contacts. Unless there are near perfect reporting of cases, contact tracing and isolation practices, children will be at risk. Though the government has started some excellent centres and practices and guidelines to detect TB, the reporting is one area that needs improving. If TB is not reported and the contacts are not traced, the cases will continue to spread. The duty lies with us all. The social stigma should be removed.
Do you think the number of children with TB is far more than reported and that many cases continue to remain undiagnosed?
Yes you would definitely think so. TB is mostly a chronic indolent disease and hence detection takes time. Unfortunately some cases are missed or diagnosis delayed.
How can parents ensure prevention and care for a child with TB?
I think it is important to keep children well nourished. They need plenty of air and exercise. Checking and treating Vitamin D deficieny is important. If you have an adult with cough and prolonged fevers at home, he should be screened for TB. If you have a child with persistent cough, fever or weight loss then we need to look for TB infection.
How many children with TB have you been treating in a month lately?
That varies with each month. As you said earlier, a collective number is more important. TB is preventable and curable but needs efforts from all fronts. The government has put in a lot of effort in creating awareness, having advanced diagnostic facilities and free treatments, but what we need is robust surveillance and reporting and contact tracing. The social stigma should go. We should all work together in eliminating this disease.
