Delhi, 30 May (H.S.): Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Jagat Prakash Nadda, conducted high-level meetings with Health Ministers from six States and Union Territories to evaluate progress on TB and Measles-Rubella elimination, as well as to review PM-ABHIM (Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission) and 15th Finance Commission fund utilization. Participants included Rajendra Shukla (Madhya Pradesh), Dhan Singh Rawat (Uttarakhand), Rushikesh Patel (Gujarat), Sakeena Masood Itoo (Jammu & Kashmir), Dr. Mazel Ampareen Lyngdoh (Meghalaya), and Chandrima Bhattacharya (West Bengal).
The Minister commended states for their involvement in the 100-day Intensified TB-Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan, during which 12.97 crore individuals were screened for tuberculosis, resulting in over 7.19 lakh reported TB cases, including 2.85 lakh asymptomatic patients. The campaign has been expanded to all districts, with a focus on examining presumptive TB cases, NAAT coverage, treatment success rates, and nutrition support for TB patients. State health ministers were urged to regularly monitor these metrics.
Under the TB-Mukt Bharat Abhiyan, states are screening vulnerable populations using portable chest X-ray machines, followed by NAAT for those with TB-suggestive findings. The need for increased public participation (Jan Bhagidari) was emphasized to drive effective progress in fighting TB. Shri Nadda called for the active involvement of local elected representatives from Panchayati Raj Institutions and Municipal Corporations in the initiative’s implementation.
He highlighted the urgency of reducing TB incidence and mortality through early screening, aiming for a national target of 47 TB cases per lakh population and a mortality rate below 3 per lakh population.
The Union Minister emphasized the need for states to refine their tuberculosis (TB) elimination strategies, focusing on vulnerable and high-risk populations. He highlighted expanding access to rapid diagnostic tools like Nucleic Acid Amplification Testing (NAAT) and urged states to conduct aggressive screening among marginalized groups, including migrant workers, slum dwellers, and those with HIV or substance abuse issues.
He called for enhanced participation in nutritional support programs for TB patients, specifically the Ni-kshay Poshan Yojana and Ni-kshay Mitra initiative, noting existing deficiencies in engagement and benefits that must be addressed to offer comprehensive care.
The Minister commended states' efforts towards eliminating measles and rubella but pointed out that some districts have not yet achieved status as measles-rubella free. He urged stronger immunization efforts targeting populations that missed the second vaccine to meet elimination goals.
Additionally, he stressed the urgency of implementing health infrastructure projects under the PM-ABHIM and the 15th Finance Commission, given the limited time remaining for effective fund utilization. The Minister insisted on accelerating project implementation, including land clearance for health infrastructure and signing MoUs with the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), as well as establishing NCDC state branches in specified locations and a BSL-3 laboratory in Surat.
States reported their progress and shared successful practices that could be replicated for better outcomes. The meeting included participation from Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava and senior officials from the Union Health Ministry, emphasizing a collaborative approach to enhance health outcomes.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
