The main objective of the programme for prevention and control of diseases remained unfulfilled for lack of effective planning. Inadequate infrastructural facilities and shortage of manpower coupled with failure to perform the prescribed duties by some of the crucial functionaries plagued the programme. Leprosy Eradication Control Programme suffered due to lack of re-constructive surgery facilities for rehabilitation of the leprosy patients. Following are the main audit findings:

1. Against the release of grants of Rs. 6.67 crore (including spillover funds of Rs. 0.46 crore) by the Government of India between 1996-97 and 2000-2001, Rs. 5.65 crore only was spent, as of March 2001.
2. As the number of sputa examined (67,124) had substantially been lower by 63 per cent than the target(1,81,070) for the years 1996-97 to 2000-2001, there remained the danger of a large number of sputum positive cases going undetected every year. This resulted in the chain of transmission of tuberculosis virtually remaining unbroken.
3. Against 78,525 sputa required to be examined in 20 Peripheral Health Institutions of the District Tuberculosis Centre, Agartala, during 1996-2001, a target for examination of 59,500 sputa was fixed, out of which 28,706 sputa were actually examined indicating a shortfall of sputum examination by 63 per cent with reference to the norm.
4. Supervision of peripheral health institutions by District Tuberculosis Centres fell much short of prescribed standards. Against the requirement of 244 visits per year in 61 PHIs, the visits actually paid were 77 and 101 during 1999-2001.
5. 4,910 suspected leprosy cases identified during Modified Leprosy Elimination Campaign in 1998-99 were not brought under treatment due to lack of bacteriological testing facilities. Further, leprosy patients were released from treatment without identifying their Bacterial Index.
6. Against the requirement of 30,000 cataract operations by 4 District Mobile Eye Units during 1996-2001, a target of 26,000 operations was fixed; of this, 13,723 operations only were carried out.
7. Against the total number of children (1-6 years) ranging from 1,91,640 (1996-97) to 2,14,500 (2000-2001), the number of children covered by vitamin A solution ranged from 76,024 to 96,784, indicating a coverage of 37 to 49 per cent only.
8. The performance of Family Health Awareness Campaign was very poor. Against the targeted population ranging from 5.64 lakh to 7.74 lakh in 24 Health Institutions, actual attendance in the camps ranged from 4 to 5 per cent and the STD patients covered by treatment ranged from 18 to 29 per cent of the cases identified.
9. Five Blood Banks in the State claimed by the Department to have been modernised were found not to have been actually modernised as only 11 items of equipment out of 40 major items were provided to the blood banks. Spreading of HIV infection from the infected persons was allowed to continue unchecked as persons afflicted with HIV/AIDS were neither informed of the disease, nor treated and provided with counselling, as envisaged in the programme.