As part of its unwavering commitment to realising Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ambitious goal of eradicating tuberculosis (TB) by 2025, the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh is embarking on a new initiative –the Family Caregiver Programme.
This initiative aims to ensure proper care for TB patients under the National Tuberculosis Eradication Programme.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath strongly believes that family members can play a crucial role in ensuring adequate care and support for a TB patient. Family caregivers typically serve as the primary caregivers for patients, and their engagement can substantially influence the treatment results for those suffering from TB.
Principal Secretary (Health) Partha Sarathi Sen Sharma stated that as per the chief minister’s vision, the state is actively pursuing the goal set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to eliminate tuberculosis from the country. The Yogi government is now in the process of identifying and training primary caregivers among the family members or close ones of TB patients.
Under this initiative, a responsible family caregiver will be identified by health workers for each TB patient. These caregivers will accompany the TB patients to the hospital and receive training from healthcare professionals on crucial aspects of patient care, treatment, and adherence. This approach is expected to boost the confidence of both TB patients and their family members in adopting healthy behaviours, including adhering to treatment regimens. In addition, the capacity of the community to provide better support would increase, the principal secretary added.
Director General Health Dr Deepa Tyagi highlighted that as outlined in the ‘Guidance Document on Engaging Family Caregivers for Supporting Persons with Tuberculosis’, numerous studies have demonstrated that family caregiving improves patient and caregiver relationships and fosters caregiver confidence. Caregivers acquire the skills to manage challenging situations, leading to a sense of fulfillment that directly impacts the patient’s health outcomes.
She added that the Family Caregiver Programme is designed to strengthen the involvement of family members as primary caregivers, enhance their capacities across various aspects of care and prevention, and offer need-based support to families to ensure successful patient outcomes.