With Covid-19 casting shadow over success achieved last two years under the Tuberculosis (TB) elimination programme when higher case findings were registered, the Union Ministry is now banking on its partners to reach its goal of ending the deadly disease by 2025.
As per the Government data, there is an 18 per cent and 12 per cent increase in case finding under National Tuberculosis Elimination Program in 2018 and 2019 respectively. In private sector, there is 77 per cent increase in the notification from 3.8 lakhs in 2017 to 6.8 lakh in 2019. However, Covid-19 is throwing spanner in the government’s efforts to contain the TB.
“At a time, when Covid is taking prioritised attention, we should not lose the sight of the goal to eliminate TB by 2025. Advocacy and engagement are a way to move forward, Dr Harsh Vardhan, Union Health Minister said as he called for a Jan Andolan- a People’s Movement to combat the deadly disease.
“The fight against TB needs to be made into a Jan Andolan, a people’s movement. An effective communication strategy is needed which would focus on reaching the maximum population; complement with preventive, diagnostic and curative aspects of TB management; work towards demand generation; ensuring regular high visibility mass-media coverage; and also focus on community ownership and mobilization,” Minister enlisted various measures at a meeting with various developmental partners working in the field of TB care and management in India.
The Union Health Minister urged for a joint collaborative platform where all the partners could join hands and forces together in elimination of Tuberculosis by 2025 from the country.
He also highlighted the importance of strong political and administrative commitment from all States/UT Governments. “Partners can take a lead in galvanizing political commitment from the various political leaders locally”, he pointed out. The Minister also asserted the need to address stigma in a huge way “as it is one of the biggest barriers and hinders people from coming forward for reporting the diseases and availing of the treatment.” Rajesh Bhushan, Secretary, (Health) noted that the aim is to leverage the capacity of UN agencies, international bodies, NGOs and all other partnership to work toward eradicating the disease.