Chittoor, Oct 27: Apollo Hospitals is assisting the government of Andhra Pradesh in identifying Tuberculosis patients as part of its Total Health Initiative.
Apollo Foundation’s mobile medical units are conducting door-to-door tuberculosis (TB) screening in vulnerable communities in Andhra Pradesh’s Chittoor district to facilitate early detection and ensure timely treatment of patients as part of its CSR programme.
Harita, who works with Apollo Foundation Total Health, said the “TB Screening on Wheels” programme uses mobile medical units equipped with X-ray screening facilities to identify suspected TB cases at the doorsteps of the people by organising special screening camps at Villages and Panchayats.
During a screening camp at Kanipakkam Patnam village in Chittoor district, a large number of men and women turned up to get themselves checked for the disease.
Speaking to Kashmir Convener, Harita said patients with abnormalities detected during X-ray screening are referred for sputum tests to confirm the infection besides other tests.
Those testing positive are registered with the government’s district TB unit and onboarded onto the Nikshay portal for treatment and follow-up, she said.
“Based on the identification issued to the patient, they are continuously monitored for the next six months to ensure they receive the required medication and treatment,” Haritha said.
She said the programme is being implemented with the support of the Andhra Pradesh government and in close coordination with the district TB office.
She said Apollo Foundation Total Health has been working with the district TB office since 2019 on various initiatives, including tuberculosis control, the TB Mukt Bharat campaign and nutritional support, she said.
The latest initiative aims to strengthen early detection by reaching high-risk villages and vulnerable populations across different locations in Chittoor district, she added.
Haritha said people from around 10 mandals had been screened under the programme so far.
The government and local health authorities are helping mobilise people for screening, while community-level teams are supporting the programme’s implementation, she said.
The initiative has also led to the identification of positive cases, which are being registered on the Nikshay portal to facilitate further treatment, she added.
Haritha said the positive response from local communities and coordination among the government, healthcare teams and Apollo Foundation had helped the programme reach its target population.
Apollo Hospitals Group founder-chairperson Dr Prathap C. Reddy launched the Total Health initiative in Aragonda village of Chittoor district in 2013 as part of the group’s corporate social responsibility programme. “The initiative focuses on holistic healthcare across different stages of life, with an emphasis on improving individual and community well-being”.
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