By OUR STAFF REPORTER
DEHRADUN, 18 Sep: Taking forward the agenda of Central TB Division (Ministry of Health & Family Welfare ) and Confederation of Indian Industry on TB Free Workplaces, CII Uttarakhand organised an interactive session of Business Leaders with Uttarakhand TB Cell today.
Dr Mayank Badola, State TB Officer, Directorate of Health, Uttarakhand, briefed CII members that industries with closed infrastructure were majorly impacted by TB since, in closed spaces, the TB bacteria spreads fast from the infected worker to co-workers. He added that industries could do basic screening at the workplace and prepare the list of workers with long time cough. The department could then test all such cases and start treatment if required. He requested industries to report TB cases to the department so that the infection does not spread further. He added that TB treatment is free from the Government and, also, the workers are covered under ESIC for the disease. There is also provision of providing 2 months leave to workers and wages are paid by ESIC.
Dr Badola also offered to provide training for capacity building of health care providers within industry premises to manage, screen, and report TB cases. He also expressed the need for sensitising infected workers on reporting infection to the management so that better treatment could be provided. TB cases could also be reported on the 104 helplines.
Ashok Windlass, Chairman, CII Uttarakhand State Council, appreciated the State TB Cells’ initiative and offered full support from CII members to make workplaces free of TB.
The session was attended by business leaders from Windlass Biotech, Indo German Brakes, ITC Ltd, TATA Motors, Forace Polymers, Himalayan Institute Hospital Trust, Hotel Madhuban, Great Value Express Hospitality Ltd, Tupperware India Pvt Ltd, Century Textiles & Industries Ltd, Shivalik Enterprises, N Kumar Gupta & Associates, Rosewood Hospitality, Treks & Rapids, Oberai Motors, Honeywell Electrical Devices, Sushima Laboratories, KLA India Public Ltd, Genus Power Infrastructures, Alpinestar Holidays among others.
