Strengthen TB elimination initiatives: Nadda to states, UTs

New Delhi, May 30: Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Jagat Prakash Nadda, held a series of high-level meetings with Health Ministers of 6 States and Union Territories to assess progress made on TB and Measles-Rubella elimination and review utilization of funds under PM-ABHIM (Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission) and 15th Finance Commission.
States Health Ministers who joined the meeting included Rajendra Shukla, Deputy Chief Minister, Madhya Pradesh; Dhan Singh Rawat, Health Minister, Uttarakhand; Rushikesh Patel, Health Minister, Gujarat; Sakeena Masood Itoo, Health Minister, Jammu & Kashmir; Dr Mazel Ampareen Lyngdoh, Health Minister, Meghalaya; and Chandrima Bhattacharya, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, West Bengal.
The Union Minister praised the states for their active involvement in the 100-day Intensified TB-Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan, during which 12.97 crore individuals were screened for tuberculosis. As a result, over 7.19 lakh TB cases were reported across the country, including 2.85 lakh asymptomatic patients. The campaign has now been expanded to cover all districts nationwide. The Minister also highlighted key performance indicators such as the examination of presumptive TB cases, NAAT coverage, treatment success rates and the implementation of nutrition support schemes for TB patients. He urged state health ministers to regularly monitor and review these critical metrics.
Under the TB-Mukt Bharat Abhiyan, states are actively screening vulnerable populations for tuberculosis, regardless of whether they show symptoms, utilizing portable chest X-ray machines. Individuals with TB-suggestive findings are further tested using the Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (NAAT). The Union Health Minister emphasized the need for greater Jan Bhagidari (public participation) to drive meaningful and lasting progress in the fight against TB. He urged states and Union Territories to ensure the active involvement of elected representatives from Panchayati Raj Institutions, Municipal Corporations, and other local bodies in the implementation of the campaign.
Nadda stressed the pressing need to lower both the incidence and mortality rates of TB by ensuring early and comprehensive screening. He stated that the national goal is to bring down the TB incidence rate to 47 cases per lakh population and the mortality rate to below 3 per lakh population.
To meet the set targets, the Union Minister urged states to revisit and refine their TB elimination strategies with a stronger emphasis on reaching vulnerable and high-risk populations. He highlighted the need to expand access to rapid diagnostic tools, especially Nucleic Acid Amplification Testing (NAAT). He urged states to aggressively screen and test the weak and vulnerable population including migrant workers, slum dwellers, HIV patients, alcoholics and chain smokers etc.
States were also encouraged to boost participation in key nutritional support programs for TB patients and their families, including the Ni-kshay Poshan Yojana and the Ni-kshay Mitra initiative. The Union Minister pointed out that engagement and benefits under these schemes remain inadequate in several areas and must be substantially enhanced to provide comprehensive care and support for those affected by TB.
Nadda applauded the states for their ongoing efforts toward the complete elimination of measles and rubella. However, he noted that several districts across various states are yet to be declared measles-rubella free. To address this, he emphasized the need to strengthen immunisation efforts, especially to focus on missed-out population who have not taken the second vaccine, to fully achieve the elimination target.
He also stressed the urgency of implementing health infrastructure projects under the PM-ABHIM and 15th Finance Commission on a war footing, highlighting that only one year remains for the effective utilization of the allocated funds. “Implementation of Health Infrastructure Projects under PM-ABHIM and 15th Finance Commission must be fast-tracked to ensure optimal fund utilization”, he said.
The Union Health Minister also stressed on expediting resolution of issues such as clearance of land for health infrastructure, MoU signing with NCDC (National Centre for Disease Control) and establishment of NCDC state branches sanctioned under PM-ABHIM in Kolkata, Meghalaya, Bhopal and a BSL3 Laboratory in Surat, Gujarat.
States provided updates on their progress and accomplishments across the key programmes discussed during the meeting and also shared their best practices that could be replicated elsewhere.
Punya Salila Srivastava, Union Health Secretary and senior officials of the Union Health Ministry were present at the meeting.