Deepu hails from Jaunpur in Uttar Pradesh, India, who migrated to Delhi in search of livelihood and began working in Gulabi Bagh area as a garment worker. Deepu lives behind Gulabi Bagh Chest Clinic with his wife and one small child (aged one year and a half). His wife, who appeared weak, was pregnant with a second child when we had met him last year.
Deepu told CNS: "I remember it was around midnight on a hot summer day (in 2023) when I coughed blood. In the next few days I also developed fever. I thought it could be due to the searing summer heat. When blood in my cough persisted and the amount of blood also increased, then I went to a government hospital (Deep Chand Bandhu Hospital) for a checkup."
Deepu was diagnosed with TB but was not able to find the way forward to linkage with TB treatment and care. After multiple visits to hospitals and being footballed from one place to another, he gave up looking for treatment. He had lost all hopes of getting cured of TB.
Journey from diagnosis to cure
But then came Ms Pinki Sharma and Mr Sunil, both are frontline healthcare workers, who serve as field officers with Humana People to People India (HPPI). One day, as Pinki was doing her regular TB screening rounds in the neighbourhood, Deepu's wife spotted her, told her about her husband's condition and sought her help. Pinki went to their place and counselled Deepu to accompany her to get a TB test. Deepu shared all his health problems with Pinky but did not mention to her that he had already taken a TB test almost two months back.
When Pinki took him for a chest X-Ray (done in a private facility where cost is covered by HPPI) and a TB confirmatory microscopy sputum test at the government-run Gulabi Bagh Chest Clinic in Delhi, she learnt from a healthcare worker about Deepu's previous TB diagnosis. When TB diagnosis is confirmed in a government-run facility in India, then a unique identification number called Ni-Kshay ID is created. Deepu's Ni-Kshay ID was already existing in the system.
Deepu's X-Ray was presumptive for TB, sputum test was negative, and when evaluated clinically by a medical expert, TB disease was confirmed and treatment initiated. Deepu's samples were sent for a special test to check if the medicines used in his treatment were effective against the TB bacteria that infected him. This test is called drug susceptibility test done by Line Probe Assay or LPA. Deepu had no diabetes. But he did consume alcohol.
Due to his alcoholism, the treating doctor was not convinced if he would adhere to TB treatment. Pinki and Sunil convinced the doctor that they would follow up with Deepu and support him in all possible ways to ensure he completes the therapy. His treatment began in September 2023- within a week of getting diagnosed this time.
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