In an effort to combat the spread of tuberculosis (TB) and ensure that undiagnosed patients receive timely treatment, the “Active Tuberculosis Detection Campaign” has been successfully carried out in high-risk areas of Navi Mumbai.

Organised by the Health Department of the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC), the campaign ran from December 23, 2024, to January 3, 2025, and has received a highly positive response from the local community.

Under the guidance of NMMC Commissioner Dr. Kailas Shinde, the campaign targeted high-risk zones with the aim of identifying individuals suffering from TB who had not yet been diagnosed.

A total of 80 teams visited 36,826 households, reaching out to 156,597 residents across all 24 Urban Primary Health Centres.

The teams worked tirelessly to not only detect potential TB cases but also to raise public awareness about the disease, its symptoms, and the importance of early treatment.

As part of the awareness efforts, health workers distributed informative pamphlets and conducted outreach activities. Key messages included details on how tuberculosis spreads, as well as common symptoms such as a persistent cough lasting more than two weeks, fever, loss of appetite, significant weight loss, chest pain, and swelling in the neck.

Citizens were urged to visit the nearest Urban Primary Health Centre for testing if they exhibited any of these symptoms, and were reminded to complete their treatment if diagnosed with TB.

The results of the campaign were encouraging, with 1,512 suspected TB patients identified. Following thorough examinations, including NAAT and X-ray tests, 39 individuals were confirmed to be suffering from tuberculosis. Immediate treatment was initiated for all diagnosed patients at the relevant health centres.