- विज्ञापन -
New Delhi: Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Jagat Prakash Nadda, held a high-level meeting with Health Ministers of 8 States and Union Territories to review the progress made on TB and Measles-Rubella elimination and utilisation of funds under PM-ABHIM (Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission) and 15th Finance Commission, according to an official statement.
Union Minister Nadda complimented states for their enthusiastic participation during the 100-day Intensified TB-Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan where, according to the statement, 12.97 crore people were screened for TB, with over 7.19 lakh TB patients notified across India, including 2.85 lakh patients who were asymptomatic, with the campaign beind extended to all districts across the country.
He took cognisance on key metrics like presumptive TB case examination, NAAT coverage, treatment success and uptake of nutrition support schemes for TB patients, and urged state health ministers to review these key metrics on a regular basis.
The statement further read that under the TB-Mukt Bharat Abhiyan, states are playing a proactive role in screening vulnerable populations for TB, irrespective of whether they present symptoms, using portable chest x-ray machines and patients who are TB-suggestive are tested using a NAAT test (Nucleic acid amplification test).
Nadda called for greater Jan Bhagidari to bring about impactful and lasting change in the fight against TB. He urged states/UTs to integrally involve elected representatives from Panchayati Raj Institutions, Municipal Corporations etc in the TB-Mukt Bharat Abhiyan.
He emphasized the urgent need to reduce both the incidence and mortality rates of TB through early and comprehensive screening. “The national goal is to bring down the TB incidence rate to 47 cases per lakh population and the mortality rate to below 3 per lakh population,” Nadda said according to the statement.
To achieve these targets, the Minister called on states to re-strategize their TB campaigns, placing a sharper focus on vulnerable and high-risk communities. He also stressed the importance of expanding access to rapid diagnostic tools, particularly NAAT testing.
