Stigma around tuberculosis haunts village of Bandri in Sandur taluk

By Yashaswini Sri

Thevillage of Bandri, Sandur taluk, with a population of 8,400, has seen an increase in TB cases However, many still don’t prefer to get treated because of the stigma to the disease

Bharat Kumar, a doctor at the Bandri PHC, said bacteria that cause tuberculosis spread when an infected person coughs or sneezes Most infected people do not have symptoms “The major challenge we face working in PHCs is the lack of awareness

We do everything we can to educate our patients about the gravity of TB and make sure they get the treatment Most of them discontinue in the middle of the course Some patients are alcoholics; some are just too embarrassed or scared to complete their treatment properly.”

Sowmaya (name changed) talked about her life after she was diagnosed with TB “My life has turned upside down ever since I came to know about this My inlaws immediately separated me from my husband and children I was isolated in the initial stages of diagnosis I got the treatment for a while, but then my family advised me not to continue it be- cause I was a disgrace in our community But the ASHA workers in our village were adamant and made sure that I completed the treatment in time ”

Currently, there are 150 active cases in Sandur taluk, out of which 105 active cases are from Bandri In 2019, the village saw 85 active cases However, the numbers dipped to 61 in 2020 In 2021, Bandri saw an increase with 85 patients suffering from Tuberculosis Yogeshwari S, an ASHA worker, said: “We try to educate our patients by telling them about the cons of not taking treatment for TB We follow the DOTS programme The response to it has

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Kushal Raj, taluk health officer, Sandur taluk, explained: “Mining is one of the reasons why TB cases are high in mining villages But the main reason why we are not able to control the cases is because of the stigma attached to this disease People are ashamed to be diagnosed with TB “There are only five PHCs and one taluk hospital This is another reason why TB-affected people are not able to access the treatment ”

Central TB division of India states that Stigma around TB tends to be latent and manifests when someone is known to have the disease Women reported more TB stigma related to reduced prospects of getting married and for those married fear of separation, divorce and isolation

A report in the Indian Express said that according to a note shared by the Department of Health and Family Welfare in 2021, 247 people had died due to TB in nine months in Ballari district While 3,407 persons were infected, 1,170 had recovered; another 1,789 persons were undergoing treatment in various health facilities across Ballari yashaswini s@iijnm org

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