The Union Government has made it compulsory for all the private hospitals and doctors to send reports and notices regarding TB cases to the local governments or semi-government heads only 2 months ago and yet only 13 private hospitals have sent the reports to the Pune Municipal Corporation's TB control unit.

A circular had been issued by the PMC to more than 300 hospitals asking them to report any cases of TB. On 23rd May, a warning had also been issued that the licenses would not be renewed in case they don't report to the PMC. Earlier there was such rule that required them to send any reports.

The private hospitals, most of them at least, have turned a deaf ear to the response. Only 13 of the hospitals have reported to the PMC and only 51 new cases of TB have been identified. “Even if they don't have any TB cases the hospitals are required to report the same to the authorities,” said the TB control Unit's chief N D Thakur.

It was however observed that most private doctors, caregivers and doctors's associations were not aware of any such circular.

“There usually are 300- 350 cases regularly reported per month from the city and now with the new 51 cases the number has reached the 400 mark,” Thakur said.

AW- Anil