New Delhi: The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, posted something on social media, thanking all those who are putting in some effort towards tuberculosis in India, while encouraging the grassroots and communities at large under the mission of '#TBMuktBharat'. A mention of the very impressive features of the said post is contained in videoclips of the remarks made by Union Health Minister JP Nadda on the great strides toward eliminating tuberculosis in India.
India wants to eliminate tuberculosis in 2025, a full five years ahead of the global goal set by the World Health Organization (WHO). This ambitious goal left some space for India's efforts, which went further than earlier years. The Ministry of Health launched the 100-day intensified TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan in December 2024, scheduled to conclude on World TB Day, March 24, 2025. This effort was concentrated on 455 selected districts across 33 states and Union territories for early detection and prevention focused on mortality.
More than 1.94 lakh awareness activities have been mobilized, involving over 33,000 elected representatives and 22 ministries of the government, as reported by JP Nadda. The program also distributed more than 3 lakh nutrition food baskets through 1.05 lakh Nikshay Mitras, who are community volunteers providing nutritional support to TB patients.
Now, India's targeted approach seems to be yielding results in an impressive manner-the country has found 7.19 lakh TB cases, including 2.85 lakh asymptomatic cases which would not have been detected if early screening had not been carried out. As a result, in the last few years, India has achieved a reduction in incidence of TB by the rate of 17.7%, which is more than double that of the global average record.
The battle against tuberculosis assumes paramount importance in India, remaining the country with the biggest burden of TB in the world. But great strides are being realized-and cases are being increasingly detected and treated, potentially transforming millions of lives.
[Source Credit: NDTV]
