In a bid to provide essential nutritional support to malnourished tuberculosis (TB) patients, the Yogi Adityanath government has intensified efforts under the Central government’s Nikshay Nutrition Scheme.

The scheme aims at protecting tuberculosis patients from malnutrition by providing them nutritious food and making the state TB-free by 2025.

A total of Rs 2.78 lakh has been disbursed to TB patients from January 1 to September 17 this year under the Nikshay Nutrition Scheme. Presently, over 4.16 lakh TB patients are undergoing treatment in Uttar Pradesh.

Head of pulmonary department of Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences Dr Zia Hashim said that nutrition was very important for TB patients because they were already weak because of the disease.

“While taking numerous TB medicines, the patient needs nutritious food for support,” Dr Hashim said.

She further said that monitoring of the ‘Nikshay Nutrition Scheme’ by the state government was benefitting TB patients.

In addition to medication, individuals afflicted with TB are receiving nutritious meals, community support and encouragement. These crucial factors have contributed to their recovery from tuberculosis, and as a result, they are supporting the Yogi government’s initiative as TB champions.

Preeti Yadav, a dietician at SGPGIMS, said that TB patients not only had to cope with their disease, but also had to overcome the hurdle of malnutrition, therefore, along with medicines, a nutritious diet was very important. She said people suffering from malnutrition were more likely to contract TB.

In a trial conducted on more than 10,000 family members, nutritional support resulted in a remarkable reduction of all types of TB by 40 per cent and infectious TB by about 50 per cent in the family members of patients with pulmonary TB.

The report also mentioned that half of the individuals tested were found to be suffering from malnutrition.