Ray of hope
This is the story is of an eight year old boy, Ritik in the slum area of Mohalla Bijlipura, Shahjahanpur. His father is a vegetable vendor earning very low income and serving seven other members in the family. His mother was tested positive for TB and cured after taking DOTS treatment. Later while conducting Axshya SAMVAD activity in May 2020, the Community Volunteer Saeeda Niazi identified Ritik with symptoms of cough and severe weight loss. The weight of Ritik was only 8 kgs when identified with symptoms. Saeeda took his sputum for TB test. Ritik was confirmed with extra pulmonary TB and was put on Directly observed treatment, short-course (DOTS from May 27 to November 10, 2020. With a declining weight loss, Ritik wasn’t able to perform any task or go out to play with his friends during the course of treatment. His parents were worried about his health and mental stability. Antoni, the District Co-ordinator (DC) of Shahjahanpur linked Ritik and his mother for direct benefit transfer (DBT). Since the family is not doing financially well, Antoni arranged monthly ration and nutritional supplement for Ritik. The team provided information about TB, treatment and precautionary measures to the family during the home visits and follow up visits.
Regular counseling and constant support from the CBCI-CARD team and advice from the doctor helped Ritik to complete the DOTS on time. In due course, he gained back his strength and good health with an improved weight of 20 kgs. He is able to get back to pavilion and play with his friends. Ritik’s father is very thankful to the Project Axshya team for saving his son’s life. The father said, “We were unaware of what is happening to Ritik but Madam Saeeda’s timely intervention, reference for sputum test and TB treatment saved the life of my son. I want to thank Madam Saeeda and Sir Antoni for helping us with DBT, provisions and nutritional supplement for my son”.
Alertness: A cause to defeat TB
Intezar is a 50 year old farmer in Gangwar, JP Nagar holding some land for agriculture. Agriculture is the only source of income of the family. He was into smoking habit since the age of 25 years. He had been having symptoms of cough, fever, loss of appetite and weakness since mid of 2018 but never cared for it. He visited many Rural Health Care Providers (RHCP) but all in vain. Things worsened after visiting the local clinics and following their treatments. Later, he visited MBBS doctors but none of the doctors suggested him for any sputum test even after observing the symptoms. One fine day, Akil, Active Community Surveillance Unit Volunteer got to see Intezar near the bus stand with symptoms of cough, fever and weakness. Akil asked him about what is happening to him. Intezar explained about the symptoms he had been undergoing since mid of 2018 where he visited many doctors for treatment with zero improvement. Akil asked him not to worry and requested him to give sputum of the morning to be tested. He was found positive for TB in the sputum test done in August 2020 and clinically diagnosed in chest x-ray as well. After being tested positive for TB, Intezar was put on DOTS. Akil motivated Intezar’s family members to get tested for TB because Intezar’s daughter was complaining about loss of appetite. Intezar’s wife and daughter were found positive in the sputum tests done in November 2020. Akil had been visiting the family every week to provide information about TB and give information about intake of nutritious diet in the regular food. Akil’s intervention has saved the lives of three members in the family. Intezar is very grateful to Akil for rightly referring him for sputum test and identifying the nature of the disease. Intezar commented, “If I had not met Akil Sir, I would have lost my life. Infact we wouldn’t have been able to identify the actual reason for my suffering. Thanks to the CBCI-CARD team for their continuously guiding us in the identification of the sickness and treatment”
.
Struggle with TB with COVID -19
Rakesh Kumar is a 32 years old young man from village Arar of Kanti block, Muzaffarpur, Bihar. He is a daily wage worker in a iron factory in New Delhi. His family lives in the village and there are 22 members in his family. Mahesh Prasad active community survillance volunteer is a RHCP and has been practising for last 20 years. During the COVID-19 lockdown he had been meeting patients only over all. Mahesh received a call from Rakesh’s mother in the month of March 2020 complaining of loss of appetite, severe ache in his back bone. With this, he had been completely on bed. Mahesh went to see the patient and also saw the prescriptions of the different doctors. He had also been referred to Sri Krishna Medical College Muzaffarpur to consult the Orthopedics and also has requested to get CBNAAT test done. Rakesh family went to S K Medical College Muzaffarpur but due to COVID-19, the hospital wasn’t able to get the tests done. So the patient was taken to Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS) Patna for better treatment and fast recovery. In the IGIMS, the doctor saw the patient and all his prescripations and suggested for CBNAAT test. The CBNAAT test was conducted and the result was MTB low. Then IGIMS Patna transfered him to PHC Kanti for further treatment. Rakesh’s family approached Mahesh, ACSU volunteer with regard to his treatment as they know he is working for a TB program. Mahesh then visited the DMC and met the LT. Since the symptoms were similar to COVI-19 and TB sysmptoms, the LT wanted to get the COVID-19 and sputm test done. His result for COVID-19 and TB were fund positive. Rakesh and the family were shocked and shattered after hearing the result.
Mahesh and Pramod, LT counselled Rakesh and family and motivated him to take the medicines on a regular basis. Rakesh requested the CV and the LT to keep his health status confidential. The family members were also counselled for getting the COVID-19 and TB tests done.
Rakesh was initiated on his TB treatment by end of September 2020. Prafulla, DC along with the NGO partner ASVS and volunteer Mahesh visited Rakesh for counselling on TB as the COVID-19 status was kept confidential. He is on his DOTs treatment now.
