‘Prison set up a risk setting for likelihood of TB infection’

Organizers after the TB awareness programme held with inmates of Kohima District Jail on November 13. (Photo Courtesy: ARK Foundation)

ARK conducts TB awareness programme at Kohima District Jail

Kohima, November 17 (MExN): ARK Foundation conducted a TB awareness programme with the inmates of Kohima District Jail on November 13.

Ketho Angami, President ARK foundation who chaired the programme said that prison set up is a risk setting for the likelihood of TB infection and thus the programme was conducted with an objective to impart basic information about TB prevention and treatment.

As per a press release from, ARK (Access to Rights and Knowledge) Foundation, Renbo, ARK foundation, spoke on the basics of TB and how it affects an individual’s health. According to him, TB is an air borne infectious disease which is spread from person to person when a person with TB coughs, sneezes, shout or sings.

TB affects the lungs and also other parts of the body which results in loss of appetite, weight loss, continuous cough and night fever resulting in night sweats.

TB can also infect people whose immune system is compromised due to reasons like diabetes, old age, and who are already infected with HIV.

Dr Apechitla, Assistant Pro officer, RNTCP also spoke on the types of TB test which includes sputum test and X rays following which treatments are given accordingly.

She also mentioned that the usual course for the regular TB is six months. However, due to the course of time and also after a proper diagnosis of the type of the TB infection, the treatment may be with different class of drugs and the duration of the treatment will be also more than 24 months. She mentioned that all these services are provided free of cost by the government through the TB control programme.

Ketho and Nochet also spoke on the financial assistance provided by the Government being provided during the course of the treatment, importance of healthy lifestyle and proper adherence to the treatment.

The programme ended with the Asst Jailer, Teisi lauding the initiatives of ARK foundation and urged them to conduct such programme even in the future. The organizers distributed information pamphlets relating to HIV and TB.