| ORIGINAL ARTICLE |
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| Year : 2021 | Volume
: 4
| Issue : 2 | Page : 65-68 |
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Analysis of tuberculosis-related mortality during the first wave of the COVID pandemic at GHTM, tambaram sanatorium
R Sridhar1, Vinod Kumar Viswanathan1, Reetu Singh2, Rafeeqa Keyzare2
1 Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Government Stanley Medical College, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
2 Stanley Medical College, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Correspondence Address:
Vinod Kumar Viswanathan
Professor of Pulmonary Medicine, Govt Stanley Medical College, Chennai, Tamil Nadu
India
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None
DOI: 10.4103/japt.japt_41_21
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Introduction: Analysis of tuberculosis (TB) mortality serves to understand the impact of health delivery services and steps needed to eliminate the global burden of TB. With the advent of the COVID pandemic in 2020, there were challenges in delivery of TB services, and this study was undertaken to understand the impact of pandemic on TB mortality. Methodology: Retrospective analysis of death records of patients died due to TB in the year 2020 was done. Results: The data of 250 patients who died due to TB in GHTM in 2020 were analyzed. Most were males in the productive age group of 20 to 60 years. Sputum positivity, male gender, drug resistance, and presence of comorbidities such as DM and HIV contributed to most of the mortality. A drop in presumptive TB cases and notification of TB cases compared to the previous years was noted. Discussion: The demographic profile of patients and risk factors for TB mortality in this study was consistent with known risk factors such as male, sputum positive status, drug resistance, and comorbidities. Drop in notification of TB cases due to the pandemic was noted, and necessary steps for tracing and diagnosing these cases will help reduce mortality due to impact of the pandemic. Analysis of mortality data also reflects on the need for early diagnosis and the use of appropriate treatment protocols and need for new drugs to eliminate and reduce TB mortality. Conclusion: This study emphasises on the need for ensuring continued diagnosis and uninterrupted treatment of TB even in pandemic situations to make the goal of TB elimination a reality.
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