Number of children suffering from Tuberculosis has increased by 22 within a year in the Sylhet City Corporation, according to Brac NGO.
Through research they found malnutrition and density of population to be the main reasons behind the increase in the number of TB patients.
Last year, a total of 1,255 patients were detected with TB while in 2013 the number was 1,207 in the zone.
Brac’s study suggests that in 2014, among the registered TB patients, 740 are male while 515 are female.
Of them, New Smear Positive (bacteriological confirmed) are 479, New Smear Negative (clinically diagnosed) 330, extra pulmonary 367, 45 patients had a relapse, default (those who did not follow up) 4, treatment outcome unknown in 25 and registered child TB patients 113.
Six multi-drug resistance (MDR) TB patients exist in the area while a total of 36 patients died in the year.
Md Gulam Noor, Brac’s technical assistant (lab) said: “Ten TB patients are undergoing treatment at Sylhet Central Jail. Recently, a prisoner died at Osmani Medical College Hospital who was suffering from MDR-TB.”
Brac has opened five cough examination centres in Sylhet City Corporation – Osmani Medical College Hospital, Jalalabad Ragib Rabeya Medical College and Hospital, North East Medical College and Hospital, Sylhet Central Jail and Uposhohor Brac Centre. Around 1000 people come to these centres every month, he said.
Sufia Begum, a TB patient residing in Masimpur area, said she started taking Directly Observed Treatment (DOT) one and a half months ago.