Latest news with #Ni-kshayMitras
New Indian Express
14-05-2025
- Health
- New Indian Express
Government remains committed to realising the vision of TB-free India: PM Modi
In the meeting, he reviewed the recently concluded 100-Day TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan, covering high-focus districts where 12.97 crore vulnerable individuals were screened; 7.19 lakh TB cases detected, including 2.85 lakh asymptomatic TB cases. Over one lakh new Ni-kshay Mitras joined the effort during the campaign, which has been a model for Jan Bhagidari that can be accelerated and scaled across the country to drive a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach. In the meeting, which was attended by Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda, Principal Secretary to PM Dr. PK Mishra, Principal Secretary-2 to PM Shaktikanta Das, Adviser to PM Amit Khare, Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava and other senior officials, Modi stressed the need to analyse the trends of TB patients based on urban or rural areas and also based on their occupations. 'This will help identify groups that need early testing and treatment, especially workers in construction, mining, textile mills, and similar fields,' according to a statement issued by the Union Health Ministry. 'As technology in healthcare improves, Nikshay Mitras (supporters of TB patients) should be encouraged to use technology to connect with TB patients. They can help patients understand the disease and its treatment using interactive and easy-to-use technology,' the statement said. The Prime Minister said that since TB is now curable with regular treatment, there should be less fear and more awareness among the public. He highlighted the importance of cleanliness through Jan Bhagidari as a key step in eliminating TB. He urged efforts to personally reach out to each patient to ensure they get proper treatment. During the meeting, Prime Minister noted the encouraging findings of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Global TB Report 2024, which affirmed an 18% reduction in TB incidence (from 237 to 195 per lakh population between 2015 and 2023), which is double the global pace; 21% decline in TB mortality (from 28 to 22 per lakh population) and 85% treatment coverage, reflecting the programme's growing reach and effectiveness. He also reviewed key infrastructure enhancements, including expansion of the TB diagnostic network to 8,540 NAAT (Nucleic Acid Amplification Testing) labs and 87 culture and drug susceptibility labs; over 26,700 X-ray units, including 500 AI-enabled handheld X-ray devices, with another 1,000 in the pipeline. 'The decentralisation of all TB services including free screening, diagnosis, treatment and nutrition support at Ayushman Arogya Mandirs was also highlighted,' the statement said. Prime Minister was apprised of introduction of several new initiatives such as AI driven hand-held X-rays for screening, shorter treatment regimen for drug resistant TB, newer indigenous molecular diagnostics, nutrition interventions and screening and early detection in congregate settings like mines, tea garden, construction sites, urban slums, etc. including nutrition initiatives; Ni-kshay Poshan Yojana DBT payments to 1.28 crore TB patients since 2018 and enhancement of the incentive to Rs. 1,000 in 2024. Under the Ni-kshay Mitra Initiative, 29.4 lakh food baskets have been distributed by 2.55 lakh Ni-kshay Mitras, the ministry said.
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Business Standard
14-05-2025
- Health
- Business Standard
PM Modi calls for scaling up early detection to eliminate TB by 2025
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday called for scaling up targeted interventions and successful strategies in early detection to eliminate tuberculosis (TB), while chairing a high-level meeting to review progress under the National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP). This comes even as India has set 2025 as its target year for TB elimination—five years ahead of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) target of 2030. The Prime Minister highlighted the need to analyse the trends of TB patients based on urban or rural areas and their occupations. 'This will help identify groups that need early testing and treatment, especially workers in construction, mining, textile mills, and similar fields,' he said. Emphasising the improvement of technology in healthcare, PM Modi called upon Ni-kshay Mitras, or volunteers who support TB patients, to use technology to connect with patients and help them understand the disease and its treatment using interactive and easy-to-use methods. According to the World Health Organization's (WHO's) Global Tuberculosis Report 2024, India tops the list of 30 high-burden TB countries, accounting for 26 per cent of the global TB burden. The same report, however, also points to an 18 per cent reduction in TB incidence in India—from 237 to 195 per 100,000 population—between 2015 and 2023, which is nearly double the global pace of around 9 per cent. It also indicates that TB mortality in India fell by 21 per cent, while treatment coverage rose to 85 per cent. The PM also reviewed key infrastructure enhancements under the NTEP, which included the expansion of the TB diagnostic network to 8,540 Nucleic Acid Amplification Testing (NAAT) labs, 87 culture and drug susceptibility labs, and over 26,700 X-ray units. These include 500 AI-enabled handheld X-ray devices, with another 1,000 in the pipeline. Officials also presented updates on new initiatives such as a shorter treatment regimen for drug-resistant TB, newer indigenous molecular diagnostics, and nutrition interventions under the PM Ni-kshay scheme. Launched in 2018, the scheme provides financial support to TB patients through direct benefit payments of Rs 1,000 per month to help them afford nutritious food during their treatment. 'Under the initiative, 2.94 million food baskets have been distributed by 255,000 Ni-kshay Mitras,' a statement by the Prime Minister's Office said. The recently concluded 100-day TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan, which screened 129.7 million people in 445 high-focus and aspirational districts across India, was also discussed in the meeting. According to data from the Union Health Ministry, the campaign led to the detection of around 719,000 new TB cases, of which 285,000 were asymptomatic.
