Free Screening For 71 Lakh People Above 14 Years Planned
Health minister Satya Kumar Yadav reviewed TB control measures at a virtual meeting held on Tuesday to mark World TB Day.
VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh government will deploy AI-based hand-held X-ray machines to identify suspected tuberculosis (TB) cases, with free screening planned for 71 lakh people aged above 14 years across the state.
Health minister Satya Kumar Yadav reviewed TB control measures at a virtual meeting held on Tuesday to mark World TB Day. He said 100 such machines would be procured through tenders at a cost of ₹20 crore.
The portable devices, weighing about 12 kg, will capture digital chest X-rays and generate AI-based reports within 30 seconds. Based on these results, further tests will be conducted. The machines can function without internet connectivity.
The minister said the Centre has identified 4,126 TB hotspot villages in the state. He added that among those screened, around 25 per cent may be identified as suspected cases and about five per cent as confirmed cases.
At present, the state has 78,416 TB cases, with 146 cases per one lakh population. From January till date, 16,727 cases have been recorded. Anakapalli district has the highest number of hotspot villages at 612, followed by Srikakulam and Vizianagaram. He noted that 1,118 villages in the state have been declared TB-free.
