Hamirpur, March 24 Deputy Commissioner of Hamirpur, Gandharva Rathore, launched a 100-day tuberculosis (TB) screening drive in the district on World TB Day on Tuesday.
Speaking on the occasion, Rathore said that under the 'TB-Free Hamirpur' campaign, health department teams will screen approximately 1.70 lakh people across 432 villages, out of the district's total estimated population of 5.15 lakh.
"This includes all individuals over the age of 60, as well as those suffering from hypertension, high blood pressure, and diabetes, and who are at a higher risk of contracting tuberculosis," the deputy commissioner said.
She said that for the special campaign, the health department has already constituted dedicated teams, who have undergone training for it. "These teams will comprise ASHA workers, community health officers, and other health staff," she said.
Rathore further said that three portable digital X-ray machines will be used to conduct on-site screening of people. Additionally, residents living in areas around health centres can get X-rays done at those respective health centres.
The deputy commissioner said that the campaign is crucial for making Hamirpur district "TB-free". She said that a complete cure of tuberculosis is possible; if detected on time, patients recover very quickly.