A medical camp at Patamda. Telegraph picture

Patamda, May 11: The health status at Patamda, as indicated by the reports of the East Singhbhum district civil surgeon P.C. Hembrom, shows a marked improvement from the same time last year.

Figures reveal that the number of people suffering from tuberculosis till last year stood at 80. Now, the figure stands at 15.

Experts attribute this to detection of cases in the initial stages.

The regular health check-up camps every Wednesday, held in association with Tata Steel Rural Development Society, where patients are treated and given medicines free of cost, have also played a vital role.

“The health talks have proved to be quite beneficial. People today are more aware of their health even in this part of the city,” said C.R Sardar, a senior registrar at Corporate Sustainability Services of Tata Steel, who has been a regular at the weekly health camps over the years.

Malnutrition and tuberculosis have haunted Patamda, an area rich in the production of vegetables, for long.

The health check-up camps held once every month prove to be the most useful, assert experts.

“Not only do they help in keeping a check on the number of patients, they also ensure that the disease does not spread,” said Sardar.

Available statistics claim that a patient with tuberculosis may spread the disease to as many as 15 people on an average. With the steady improvement in the health index, temporary health check-up camps have also been lined up at the three places of Boram, Macha and Pagda in the coming days.

“It will help us to ensure that people with symptoms are detected at an early stage,” added Sardar.

On an average, the weekly clinic attends to 100 patients at Patamda alone.