Union Health Minister asserts early & comprehensive screening needed to lower TB cases –

Health Minister J. P. Nadda today held a series of meetings with health ministers of 6 states and union territories to assess the progress made on Tuberculosis (TB). During the meeting, the Minister stressed on the need to lower both the incidence and mortality rates of TB by ensuring early and comprehensive screening. He said 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. Mr. Nadda urged state health ministers to regularly monitor and review these critical metrics related to TB and emphasized the need for public participation to drive meaningful and lasting progress in the fight against TB. He directed the health ministers’ of states and UTs to ensure the active involvement of elected representatives from Panchayati Raj Institutions, Municipal Corporations, and other local bodies in the implementation of the campaign. The health Minister praised the states for their active involvement in the 100-day Intensified TB-Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan, during which over 12 crore individuals were screened for TB and More than 7 lakh TB cases were reported across the country, including 2.85 lakh asymptomatic patients. He also commended the efforts of states and UTs toward the complete elimination of measles and rubella and noted that several districts across various states are yet to be declared measles-rubella free. To address this, he emphasized strengthening immunization efforts. 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. State health ministers from Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Gujarat, Jammu and Kashmir, Meghalaya, and West Bengal attended the meeting virtually.