New Delhi, September 26: Accelerating efforts towards combating TB and spreading nationwide awareness on the disease, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr. Harsh Vardhan yesterday launched the new ‘TB Harega Desh Jeetega’ Campaign, along with the National TB Prevalence Survey.
The Union Health Minister yesterday also flagged off a van for the National TB Prevalence Survey. In all, 25 such vans will be part of the prevalence survey, which shall take 6 months and be carried out across the country. This shall present national and state level data, which will be used as a policy tool for further interventions.
Dr. Harsh Vardhan yesterday also released the TB India Report (2019), the Work Place Policy Framework for TB, Operational Guideline for Employer Led Model on TB, Training module for transforming TB survivor to TB champion, and Elected Representative’s Handbook on TB.
In addition to these, as an important step, the Union Health Minister also launched an all oral regimen kit for multi-drug resistant TB patients which does not include injections which are painful and can have side effects. He also announced a partnership with the World Bank which is providing a $400 million credit for accelerating TB response in 9 states through private sector engagement and other critical interventions.
Dr Harsh Vardhan awarded Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat states for their excellent performance in tackling TB, while Tripura and Sikkim were recognized for their efforts among medium population (less than 50 lakhs) states. Puducherry, and Daman and Diu were judged as the best performers among Union Territories.
What is ‘TB Harega Desh Jeetega’ campaign and How it is to be implemented?
The new TB campaign aims to improve and expand the reach of TB care services across the country, by 2022. This includes preventive and promotive approaches, and proposes potentially transformative interventions such as engagement with private sector health care providers, inter-ministerial partnerships, corporate sector engagement, latent TB infection management, and community engagement.
The interventions will be accompanied by a comprehensive, mass media and communications campaign to generate awareness about the disease and the free treatment services available under the government program. The media campaign was also launched by the Health Minister.
Multi-stakeholder and community participation shall form the pivot of the countrywide campaign. its three strong pillars include clinical approach, public health component and active community participation. Other supporting elements of the campaign comprise private sector engagement, patient support, and political and administrative commitment at all levels.
The Health Ministry has established patient forums in over 95 per cent of all districts in the first 100 days. These district forums will bring the voices of the affected to the fore, and highlight on-ground challenges faced by patients and their families in accessing TB care services.
“In line with the Prime Minister’s vision, we have introduced pivotal initiatives that are changing the way we diagnose, treat and prevent TB, and are on track to achieving our target of a TB-free India by 2025, much ahead of the global target of 2030,” - Dr. Harsh Vardhan
Current Scenario of TB in India:
India has now more than 300 TB Champions in the TB program. In the past few years, there have been several important policy initiatives, resulting in an increase in the number of cases reported to the government.
In 2018, 21.5 lakh TB cases were reported to the government, compared to 18 lakhs in 2017, an increase of 17% in one year. Moreover, notifications from private sector health care providers reached 5.4 lakhs, an increase of 40%, contributing to 25% of all TB notifications. The Government of India has also partnered with the Global Fund to launch JEET (Joint Effort for Elimination of TB), a private sector engagement program operating in 45 cities across the country. In the last year, with domestic resources, the Govt. of India through the NHM has also approved additional 120 cities across 19 states.
In April 2018, the government launched the Nikshay Poshan Yojana, a direct benefit transfer (DBT) scheme to provide nutritional support to TB patients. Under the scheme, TB patients have been receiving Rs. 500 per month for the entire duration of treatment. Since its inception, a total amount of Rs. 427crore has been paid to over 26 lakhs beneficiaries through direct transfers to their bank accounts.