Kala Azar, also known as visceral leishmaniasis, is a parasitic disease caused by the Leishmania parasite. Transmitted by sandflies, it affects internal organs like the liver and spleen, leading to symptoms such as fever, weight loss, and anemia.
All patients who are diagnosed with VL should be offered HIV testing with appropriate linkage to ICTC/F-ICTC where counseling and testing for HIV should be done with informed consent.
In order to assist the State Level Task Force for Kala azar and to discharge the functions at the ground level, District Task Force (DTF) and Block Level Task Force (BLTF) are constituted.
State Level Task Force will function as the Apex policy making committee. It will provide overall guidance towards elimination of Kala-azar from the State of West Bengal by 2015.
All doctors whether in private or Government service shall henceforth notify every diagnosed Kala-azar case to the state health authorities within 48 hours w.e.f. 01.01.2015.