New Delhi, Feb 7: The health ministry’s 100-day intensified campaign on tuberculosis Mukt Bharat has screened 5.63 crore vulnerable people and notified 1.59 lakh new TB patients from 347 districts, said Union Health Minister JP Nadda in Parliament on Friday.

The 100-day campaign which started on December 7, 2024, and will continue till March 24, aims to end TB this year -- five years ahead of the global target. The campaign aims to target selected 347 high-priority districts across 33 States/UTs.

“From the launch of the 100 days intensified TB elimination campaign in 347 districts, 4.94 lakh Ni-kshay shivirs ((screening camps) have been held, 5.63 crore vulnerable individuals have been screened and 1.59 lakh new TB patients have been notified,” Nadda said in a written response in Lok Sabha.

He informed that 86,748 new Ni-kshay Mitras have been registered and 1.12 lakh food baskets have been disbursed to TB patients and their family members.

Nikshay-Mitras can be individuals, NGOs, cooperative societies, faith-based organisations, corporates, political parties, and others. A Mitra can adopt a minimum of one consented TB patient on treatment for a minimum period of six months for any kind of support they want to give to the patient.

Further, the Union Health Minister said that 38 of the total campaign districts are tribal, while 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,” he said.

Nadda added that the government has also organised special outreach camps to screen vulnerable populations and offer X-ray and Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (NAAT) tests, either through mobile medical vans or by mobilising them to the nearest health facility equipped with X-rays. All services related to TB have been decentralised to the level of Ayushman Arogya Mandir to ensure equitable access, Nadda said.

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.

Jan Bhaghidari activities are implemented with the involvement of schools, Panchayati raj institutions, self-help groups, Anganwadi, local non-government organisations (NGOs), and civil society organisations, the minister said, adding 22-line departments have been sensitised to actively support the implementation of campaign activities.

In addition, the ministry has sensitised MPs, CMs, and state health ministers on the campaign, Nadda stated.

“The 100 Days TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan in priority districts, is fully aligned to the long-term TB elimination strategies of prevention, early detection, prompt treatment, and reduction of TB-related mortality,” Nadda said.

The long-term strategies for TB elimination include mapping vulnerable populations, screening with high-sensitive tools like chest X-rays, upfront NAAT tests for all presumptive TB cases, and differentiated TB care for managing high-risk TB cases.

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