Under the National Tuberculosis Eradication Programme, Uttar Pradesh has created history in the country by notifying 6,24,490 TB patients in the year 2023. This is the highest number of notifications made under the programme in the country so far within a year.
Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak has given credit for this achievement to the hard work of the State and district-level officials, as well as the active participation of village heads and the community at the village level. He says that this has been possible only due to the collective efforts of everyone.
Deputy Chief Minister said that the Central TB Division had set a target of notifying 5.50 lakh TB patients to Uttar Pradesh this year. Far ahead of that target, Uttar Pradesh has created a record (6,25,690 patients). In the year 2023, the maximum number of TB patients were notified in Lucknow at 28283, whereas in Agra 27231, Kanpur Nagar 24,624, Aligarh 19,282 and Ghaziabad 19,191, TB patients were notified.
In the year 2022, about 5.23 lakh TB patients were notified in the State. State has proved that it is fully committed to realising the prime minister’s resolve to make the country TB-free by the year 2025.
Deputy CM said that in achieving this achievement, integrated Nikshay Day, organised on the 15th of every month at health centres, identification of TB patients during the Dastak campaign and running an active case-finding campaign from time to time also played a big role.
TB screening and sample collection at the Health and Wellness Center has also increased the notification of patients. The program has also been strengthened by the commencement of TB testing using TrueNat machines available at the block level. The initiative of TB-free Panchayat has also been helpful in this because now there is a competition among the village heads to make their villages TB-free.
A large number of people from educational institutions, NGOs and individuals in the State have come forward in the role of Nikshay Mitra and are adopting TB patients and providing them with better nutrition as well as emotional support. TB Champions are also playing an important role in boosting the morale of TB patients as well as motivating people with symptoms to get tested for TB.
It is through this kind of collective responsibility that the tuberculosis eradication program in the State is being strengthened, and we will definitely be successful in it. The decision to set up State TB Training Demonstration Centers in Lucknow and Gorakhpur has been taken yesterday itself, which will further accelerate the TB eradication programme.
Through these centres, along with explaining the intricacies of TB symptoms and treatment etc., training will also be provided to doctors, paramedical staff and other health workers.
(with inputs from ANI)
