The Union Health Ministry will soon launch a toll-free helpline to reach out to the undetected suspected TB patients for counseling and treatment. The measure follows concern that over 9.3 lakh TB patients are still not in the country’s health system. In addition to a toll-free number, we will also use mobile and other telecommunication tolls in an innovative manner to reach out to such patients, said Union Minister for Health JP Nadda after launching an initiative ‘Call to Action for TB Free India’, here.
Currently preparations and training are going on at the State level in this regard. Nadda said the patients would be able to call on this toll free number for any support and information they seek regarding TB. Even a missed call will suffice. Based on the call received, the Ministry team will reach the person who had made the call, check his or her status of TB and ensure the person is covered in the programme to get correct diagnosis, free drugs, treatment and follow-up.
“We will also encourage research in new drugs and new drug regimes in order to achieve better regimens with shorter duration,” Nadda stated, in addition to promoting indigenous development and manufacturing of diagnostic tests under the ‘Make-in-India’ programme.