New Delhi, 04 August (H.S.): Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the ‘TB-Free India’ campaign has transformed from merely a government programme into a nationwide movement driven by public participation.

She said that the Prime Minister’s visionary leadership has turned the fight against tuberculosis (TB) into a people’s movement across the country, and the goal of eliminating the disease can be achieved within the stipulated timeframe only through the active participation of every citizen.

The Chief Minister made these remarks while attending a public awareness workshop for elected representatives under the ‘TB-Free India Campaign’ as the chief guest at the Delhi Secretariat on Tuesday. The programme was organised by the National Health Mission and the Delhi State Health Mission.

During the event, the Department of Health and Family Welfare showcased a special video on TB awareness, while the Delhi State Health Mission presented a detailed overview of the achievements, current status and future roadmap of the ‘TB-Free India Campaign’.

The Chief Minister also inspected various information and awareness stalls related to the TB elimination campaign. She particularly visited the stall associated with the ‘Nikshay Mitra’ initiative and gathered information about the nutritional support being provided to TB patients, community assistance, public participation, patient rehabilitation and digital support mechanisms.

Gupta held detailed discussions with officials regarding the progress of the campaign, facilities being provided to patients and efforts to increase community involvement. She directed officials to ensure that the campaign reaches every ward, assembly constituency and local level effectively so that maximum citizens can become part of this people-driven movement.

Delhi Health Minister Dr Pankaj Kumar Singh, Members of Parliament, legislators, councillors, senior administrative officials and health department officers were present at the programme.

The Chief Minister said that the Delhi government is working with full commitment to achieve the goal of TB elimination. Against the TB notification targets set by the Government of India, Delhi has consistently achieved more than 95 per cent of its annual targets. She said effective treatment for TB is available today and the disease can be completely cured through timely diagnosis and completion of the prescribed treatment.

However, she emphasised that this goal cannot be achieved only through hospitals and doctors, and every section of society must come forward to contribute towards eliminating TB.

Gupta urged all elected representatives to transform the ‘Nikshay Mitra’ initiative into a mass movement in their respective areas. She said that more than 3,300 Nikshay Mitras in Delhi have already actively joined the effort to support TB patients. With their assistance, more than 1.2 lakh nutritional food baskets have been distributed among TB patients.

She appealed to industries, business organisations, corporate institutions, social groups, resident welfare associations (RWAs), religious organisations and citizens to join the campaign and become Nikshay Mitras.

The Chief Minister said that a Nikshay Mitra does not only provide nutritional support but also gives patients dignity, confidence and the assurance that society stands with them. She expressed confidence that through the collective efforts of the government, healthcare workers, elected representatives and citizens, Delhi would emerge as a model for the entire country in the field of TB elimination.

During the programme, all elected representatives, officials and participants took a collective pledge under the leadership of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta for a ‘TB-Free India’. They resolved to spread awareness about TB in their respective areas, help ensure timely diagnosis and treatment for every patient, encourage more people to become Nikshay Mitras and actively contribute towards achieving the goal of a TB-free Delhi and TB-free India.

Speaking on the occasion, Delhi Health Minister Dr Pankaj Kumar Singh said that the vision of a ‘TB-Free India’ is not merely a government scheme but a national movement powered by public participation. He said the objective of organising the awareness workshop for MPs, MLAs and councillors was to make elected representatives effective partners in the TB elimination campaign in their respective constituencies.

The Health Minister said that TB can be completely cured if detected early and treated properly. Therefore, it is essential to ensure that no individual is deprived of diagnosis, treatment or counselling. Along with medical facilities, increasing public awareness, eliminating misconceptions related to TB and encouraging every patient to complete the treatment are equally important.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar