1.59 lakh new TB patients notified since December

New Delhi: Union Health Minister JP Nadda has said that 5.63 crore vulnerable individuals have been screened and 1.59 lakh new tuberculosis patients notified since the launch of the 100-day intensified TB elimination campaign in 348 districts in December last year.
He said 4.94 lakh Ni-kshay shivirs have been held while 86,748 new Ni-kshay Mitras have been registered and 1.12 lakh food baskets disbursed to TB patients and their family members.
The government had on December 7 last year launched the intensified TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan in identified 347 priority districts across 33 states and UTs, including eight districts of Himachal Pradesh, to accelerate the endeavour to achieve Sustainable Development Goals related to TB.

Out of the total campaign districts, 38 are tribal, 27 are mining and 46 are aspirational districts.
The campaign follows a renewed approach to find missing TB cases, reduce TB deaths and prevent new cases, Nadda said.
To ensure equitable access, special outreach camps have been organised to screen vulnerable population, offer X-ray and Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (NAAT) tests, either through mobile medical vans or by mobilizing them to the nearest health facility equipped with X-ray.
All services related to TB have been decentralised to the level of Ayushman Arogya Mandir.
Campaign specific information, education and communication materials have been developed and disseminated to educate the public and raise awareness about symptoms, prevention and the importance of timely treatment for TB in the campaign states and UTs, including Himachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh.