Lagatar24 Desk
Chandigarh/New Delhi: The rate of tuberculosis (TB) incidence decline in India has doubled since 2015, surpassing the global average, Union Health Minister JP Nadda announced on Saturday. Speaking at the launch of a nationwide 100-day TB elimination campaign in Panchkula, Haryana, he emphasized the government’s commitment to combating the disease.
The campaign will target 347 districts across 33 states with high TB prevalence. It focuses on early detection, reducing diagnostic delays, and improving treatment outcomes.
“We will take detection, tests, treatment, and supportive strategies forward at a fast pace under this programme,” said Nadda.
Accelerated Progress in TB Elimination
Highlighting the long struggle against tuberculosis, Nadda referred to TB’s earlier stigma as a “slow death.” He credited the government’s decentralized approach, which includes establishing 1,73,000 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (AAMs) for TB detection and treatment.
“India has made significant strides in TB elimination. Since 2015, the incidence decline has doubled from 8.3% to 17.7%, far exceeding the global average. Additionally, TB-related deaths have reduced by 21.4% over the last decade,” he added.
Key Initiatives Under the Campaign
1.Advanced Diagnostics and Shorter Treatment Regimens: Molecular technologies and shorter TB treatment regimens have been introduced to improve compliance and accelerate recovery.
2.Increased Nutritional Support: Ni-kshay support worth ₹3,338 crore has been disbursed via direct benefit transfer to over 1.17 crore TB patients. Recently, the Ni-kshay Poshan amount was increased from ₹500 to ₹1,000, with added energy boosters for patients.
3.Mandatory Notification: Private practitioners are now required to notify any new TB cases, resulting in an eight-fold increase in TB notifications from the private sector.
4.Specialized Screening and Care: Targeted screening for vulnerable groups and specialized care for high-risk individuals are key focus areas of the 100-day campaign.
Prime Minister’s Vision
In 2018, Prime Minister Narendra Modi set a vision to eliminate TB ahead of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) deadline. Nadda remarked, “We changed our strategies to meet this ambitious goal, decentralizing services and prioritizing early detection and treatment.”
The campaign reflects the Union government’s dedication to addressing TB-related challenges under the National TB Elimination Programme, bringing India closer to its goal of becoming TB-free.
