TB prevalence patterns in rural Bangladesh

Prevalence rate of Tuberculosis (TB), has come down remarkably in last 20 years in Bangladesh due to higher detection and cure rate of the once deadly disease. According to a survey, 79 persons in every one lakh now suffer from this disease, down from 800 persons in the 90s. The survey said, rapid and wide coverage of Directly Observed Treatment, Short Course (DOTS) programme throughout the country, high case detection rate, and the persistently high cure rate should be accredited for this reduction in the prevalence of the disease. The Nationwide Tuberculosis Disease-cum-Infection Prevalence Survey 2007-09 was conducted on 50,000 people across the country revealing that the prevalence is higher in rural areas than in urban areas. The National Tuberculosis Control Programme (NTP) of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) in collaboration with International Centre for Diarrhoeal Diseases Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B) conducted the study with finance from the USAID and The Global Fund.

Presenting the survey findings at a city hotel on 7 July 2010, Dr K Zaman, a senior scientist and epidemiologist of ICDDR,B who led the survey, said, the number of men suffering from this pulmonary problem is three times higher than women. However, despite the drop in the prevalence rate, 23 per cent people are still out of DOTS coverage, which is not good at all, speakers said, adding that the death rate from the disease came down to 45 from 76 per one lakh in 1990.

Dr Mozibur Rahman Fakir, State Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Shaikh Altaf Ali, Health Secretary, Dr Serguei Diorditsa, Acting WHO Country Representative, Prof Shah Monir Hossain, Director General of DGHS, Prof Sharfuddin Ahmed, Secretary General of Bangladesh Medical Association and Dr. Alejandro Cravioto,  executive director of ICDDR,B, among others, spoke on the occasion.