‘Nikshay Aushadhi’ initiative kicks off to ensure ‘TB Mukth Bharat’ by 2025
New Delhi, March 25: At the function, the Health Secretary Preeti Sudan launched the Nikshay Aushadi Portal and shorter regimen for Drug Resistant Tuberculosis (TB). She also released the TB INDIA 2018 Report and National Drug Resistance Survey Report.
She further stated that the global target to end TB is 2030 but we will end it by 2025. “This is a tall order but I am confident that if we all work together, if all the partners combine together and we ensure full treatment is given on regular basis we can show the world this can be achieved. I am confident of this and my confidence is backed by our success in eradicating Polio,” she added.
Preeti Sudancommended the TB warrior, Suman, a graduate student who narrated his experience living with TB. The Health Secretary stated that early identification and complete treatment of TB is a key to achieving our goal of TB elimination.
We need many TB warriors like Suman to fight against this disease and spread positive message across the communities to burst the myths and misconceptions around TB, she stated.
Addressing the participants, the Health Secretary further stated that Prime Minister has called for ‘TB Mukth Bharat’ which can only possible if we ensure our panchayat and blocks are declared TB free. “For that Government has adequately provisioned drugs and diagnostic in every part of the country,” she added.
In March 2017 the Government of India announced that the new aim with regard to TB in India was the elimination of TB by 2025. India accounts for about a quarter of the global TB burden.
Worldwide India is the country with the highest burden of both TB and MDR TB. There are an estimated 79,000 multi-drug resistant TB patients among the notified cases of pulmonary TB each year. In 2016 an estimated 28 lakh cases occurred and 4.5 lakh people died due to TB.