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Time of India
16-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Over 7 lakh TB cases detected in 100-day drive, PM Modi stresses need for cleanliness and early detection
(Image: Canva) In a powerful review meeting held at his residence, Prime Minister Narendra Modi brought Tuberculosis (TB) back into national focus. While India has been pushing hard to eliminate TB by 2025, a recent 100-day campaign revealed the magnitude of the challenge ahead—over 7.19 lakh TB cases were detected, including 2.85 lakh who showed no symptoms at all. These numbers aren't just statistics—they are stories of people who didn't even know they were carrying a potentially deadly infection. And yet, they were found because the system went looking for them. That, in itself, says something about the scale and seriousness with which India is now taking TB. Study finds designing self-destructing bacteria make effective tuberculosis vaccines PM Modi's message: TB elimination is a team effort, not a solo mission At the core of PM Modi's message was this: India cannot fight TB with medicine alone. It needs public participation—Jan Bhagidari. The Prime Minister applauded the over one lakh new Ni-kshay Mitras who stepped up during the campaign. These are volunteers—regular citizens, organisations, even corporations—who support TB patients by providing nutrition, emotional help, or sometimes just a human connection. PM Modi called this a model for how public health campaigns should be run—not from boardrooms, but with people at the centre. Over 7 lakh cases found: What the numbers really mean During the 100-Day TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan, 12.97 crore vulnerable individuals were screened. Out of them, over 7 lakh were found to be TB positive. At first, this sounds alarming. But here's the truth behind the numbers: more detection means more lives can be saved. Especially noteworthy was the discovery of 2.85 lakh asymptomatic cases. These individuals didn't show symptoms but were silently spreading the disease. By catching them early, the campaign didn't just help those individuals—it broke chains of infection that could have gone unchecked. Representational What cleanliness has to do with TB The Prime Minister didn't mince words when he linked cleanliness to TB prevention. While TB is an airborne disease, living in unclean environments—especially in crowded, poorly ventilated urban areas—makes people more vulnerable. Workers in the construction, mining, and textile sectors often live and work in such conditions. Modi urged officials to analyse patterns—where do most patients come from? What jobs do they do? This way, resources can be directed where they're needed most. Clean surroundings, better ventilation, and access to toilets may sound basic, but they are frontline defences against TB. Numbers that encourage: WHO recognises India's progress In the same meeting, the Prime Minister highlighted an important endorsement: the WHO Global TB Report 2024. It confirmed that India has managed an 18% drop in TB incidence, from 237 cases per 1 lakh people in 2015 to 195 in 2023. TB deaths have also reduced by 21%. These are not just technical wins—they show that with consistent effort, strategies are working. And yet, with lakhs still getting infected, complacency is a risk India cannot afford. One step to a healthier you—join Times Health+ Yoga and feel the change
News18
13-05-2025
- Health
- News18
PM Modi Chairs Meeting To Review Progress Of Tuberculosis Elimination Campaign
Agency: PTI Last Updated: The meeting was attended by Union Health Minister JP Nadda, Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava, and senior officials from the Prime Minister's Office Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday called for strengthening people's participation to drive a 'whole-of-government" and 'whole-of-society " approach to eliminate tuberculosis. Chairing a high-level review meeting on the National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP), he lauded early detection and treatment of tuberculosis (TB) patients in 2024 and said it should be scaled up nationwide, according to a statement. He reaffirmed India's commitment to eliminating TB from the country. The prime minister reviewed the recently-concluded 100-day TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan, covering high-focus districts, during which 12.97 crore vulnerable individuals were screened and 7.19 lakh cases, including 2.85 lakh asymptomatic, detected. Modi stressed the need to analyse the trends of TB patients based on urban or rural areas as well as 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 the statement. As healthcare technology 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, Modi said. The prime minister said that since TB had become 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. During the review meeting, Modi noted the encouraging findings of the WHO Global TB Report, 2024, that affirmed an 18 per cent reduction in TB incidence (from 237 to 195 per lakh population between 2015 and 2023) at double the global pace, 21 per cent decline in TB mortality (from 28 to 22 per lakh population), and 85 per cent treatment coverage, reflecting the programme's growing reach and effectiveness. He 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, more than 26,700 X-ray units, including 500 artificial intelligence-enabled handheld 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, according to the statement. Several new initiatives such as artificial intelligence-driven handheld 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 such as mines, tea gardens and construction sites were highlighted. Union Health Minister JP Nadda; Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, PK Mishra; Principal Secretary-2 to the Prime Minister, Shaktikanta Das; and Advisor to the Prime Minister, Amit Khare; were among those who attended the meeting. First Published:
