Union Health Minister J P Nadda on Wednesday held a dialogue with members of Parliament (MPs) from Gujarat on advancing the national mission for a TB-Mukt Bharat.
The interaction, organised under the Parliamentarians Championing a TB Mukt Bharat initiative, took place at Garvi Gujarat Bhawan on the sidelines of the Winter Session of Parliament.
The session witnessed the presence of Union Minister of State for the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Nimuben Bambhaniya and MPs from both the Houses representing Gujarat. Nadda, according to a statement, highlighted India’s progress in the fight against tuberculosis under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He noted that the country has achieved an approximate 21 per cent reduction in TB incidence between 2015 and 2024, along with a treatment success rate of nearly 90 per cent, surpassing global averages as reflected in recent WHO assessments. The minister said that Gujarat, owing to its strong health systems, rapid adoption of innovations, and robust programme ownership, has the potential to emerge as a leading state in implementing the next-generation TB elimination strategies. Calling upon the lawmakers to anchor constituency-level interventions, Nadda suggested a slew of measures, such as regular constituency scorecard reviews of TB indicators, and strengthening of TB reviews through District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committee (DISHA) meetings. Nadda urged the MPs to undertake efforts to counter stigma and motivate people to seek early testing and treatment. The minister encouraged setting up constituency-level Ni-kshay Shivirs and expansion of the Ni-kshay Mitra network to ensure TB patients get nutrition, counselling, and welfare.
