The President Droupadi Murmu urged citizens to work collectively towards TB elimination and launched the Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan today.
“When a welfare scheme is made in interest of people, its chances of success increase manifold,” said Murmu.
Union Health & Family Welfare Minister, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Minister of State for Health & Family Welfare was also present alongwith others.
The dignitaries reiterated India’s commitment to eliminate the high-burden infectious disease by 2025, five years ahead of the global goal of 2030.
The President also launched the Ni-kshay Mitra initiative to ensure additional diagnostic, nutritional, and vocational support to those on TB treatment, and encouraged elected representatives, corporates, NGOs, and individuals to come forward as donors to help the patients complete their journey towards recovery.
The Ni-kshay 2.0 portal (https://communitysupport.nikshay.in/) will facilitate in providing additional patient support to improve treatment outcome of TB patients, augmenting community involvement in meeting India’s commitment to end TB by 2025 and leveraging Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) opportunities.
The virtual launch event showcased India’s accelerated progress through the National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP).
The President also highlighted the need to collectively fight the stigma attached with the disease.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Mandaviya stated that “the Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan is an extension of Prime Minister’s citizen- centric policies”.
The Union Health Minister emphasized that a 360-degree approach is the cornerstone of TB elimination in India to achieve the ambitious target of eliminating TB by 2025.
Dr. Mandaviya informed that there are roughly 13.5 lakh TB patients registered in the Nikshay portal, out of which 8.9 lakh active TB patients have given their consent for adoption.