A Correspondent
KHOIRABARI: "Although Tuberculosis (TB) is a serious infectious disease its treatment is now completely free. Furthermore, the government provides Rs 1,000 monthly to every TB patient. We have also pledged to provide food items worth Rs 500 to 50 patients for six months, and we have distributed the first instalment of food," said BTC Deputy Chief Executive Member (Dy CEM) Rihan Daimari, who is also the founder president of Aastha, an NGO.
Daimari said this at a recent event in Udalguri Primary Health Centre while distributing food items to 50 TB patients of the district on behalf of the NGO.
The Udalguri district has around 374 TB patients, and 273 of them are receiving food supplies through 'Nikshay Mitras'. Aastha covered 50 of the patients, and plans are afoot to provide supplies to the remaining 51 patients soon. The event was moderated by Ganesh Dutta, Senior Treatment Supervisor of the Udalguri TB Unit. Other notable attendees like Dr. Muktar Hussain (Joint Director of Health Services, Udalguri), Dr. Arindam Bora (District TB Officer) and BTC Speaker Tridip Daimari.