GOVERNMENT INTITIATIVES ERADICATING TB IN INDIA
The Indian Government’s commitment to eradicating TB in the nation can be gauged from the luminaries who attended the One World TB Summit held at the Rudrakash Convention Centre in Varanasi, on 24 March. Besides Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, the summit was attended by Shrimati Anadiben Patel, Governor of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath, Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Shri Brijesh Pathak, Deputy Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, and Dr Lucica Ditiu, the Executive Director of Stop TB, a body affiliated to the UN. Pointing out that the summit was being held in Varanasi, one of the oldest cities in the world, to discuss Tuberculosis or TB a disease that has prevailed for over millennia, Dr Ditiu referred to the challenge of India’s very high burden of TB that was being met by the nation with the best plan, ambition and great implementation of activities. She concurred with the assessment that India is on the road to ending TB by 2025 under the leadership of the Prime Minister. She said that due to the efforts of countries like India, the number of people who are missing being diagnosed and so remaining without treatment for TB has gone below 3 million for the first time in history. She praised the scale on which India was tackling TB and the TB Free India initiative.
Evidently impressed, she exhorted Modiji to attend the UN high-level meeting on TB scheduled for 22 September during the UN General Assembly in New York. She felt that his presence would be inspirational.
Multi-pronged approach: The government has adopted a multi-pronged approach in tackling TB. According to the Prime Minister, this is a new model for the global war on TB. This includes people’s participation, enhancing nutrition, treatment innovation,
technology integration and wellness and prevention programmes such as Fit India, Yoga, and Khelo India type of interventions.
People's participation – the Ni-kshay Mitra Campaign: This has led to adoption of some 10 lakh TB patients by better off citizens and even pre-teen children have made up teams to help the Tb-afflicted. The campaign has brought financial support that has crossed a thousand crore rupees. Its ‘inspirational’ nature has meant that even the Indian diaspora are participating in it.
As part of the programme, the government had announced a Direct Benefit Transfer scheme for TB patients in 2018, as a result of which, approximately Rs. 2000 crores have been directly transferred into the bank accounts roughly 75 lakh TB patients for their treatment. This fresh strategy has allowed lakhs of poor TB patients to pursue treatment without interruption.
Public participation also includes aspects of social change being brought about by other campaigns such as that against Open Defecation Free, and achieving energy sufficiency – solar power generation capacity; ethanol blending in petrol; and fighting pollution. This also embraces enhancement of awareness about the disease by the public. Messaging to the public is part of this process. One such is the message: “Our campaign against TB will be successful only with Sabka Prayas (everyone's efforts)”.
A vital component of the campaign is the Ni-kshay Portal that generates and stores the voluminous data that is essential in framing policies. Recognizing the value of data science, the Health Ministry-icmr developed a new method for subnational disease surveillance for pan-india application. Apart from the WHO which is a body, India is the only country to have such a sophisticated system in operation.
Ayushman Bharat Scheme: This has brought about a surge in the number of testing labs in the country besides developing region-specific policies by depending on the prevalence of TB. Screening and treatment of TB, has improved immensely as a result. In the PM’S constituency of Varanasi alone more than 1.5 lakh patients received free treatment under the Ayushman Bharat Scheme in Varanasi and more than 70 Jan Aushadhi Kendras are providing affordable medicines to patients.
Tb-mukt Panchayat: A new campaign called the ‘TB Mukt Panchayat Abhiyan’ was launched on 24 March. The Prime Minister informed about the tech integration in the TB Free India campaign.
Short duration TB Preventive Treatment (TPT): Official a fresh pan-india protocol that incorporates the latest in medical theory, pharmacology and techniques has been rolled out. This consists of a 3 months treatment programme for those with TB instead of a 6-month course. This also introduces once per week administration of medicine against the earlier, daily protocol.
Capacity and Health Sector Capability enhancement: According to the Prime Minister: 80% of TB medicines are made in India. This is testimony to the strengths of the private sector as far as manufacturing of drugs and pharmaceuticals are concerned. He adds: “I would like that more and more countries get the benefit of all such campaigns, innovations and modern technology of India.” Such an outlook is encouraging for India’s pharmaceutical sector.
Meanwhile, the government is actively enhancing health care capability such as by establishing another National Centre for Disease Control & High Containment Laboratory and a Metropolitan Public Health Surveillance Unit in Varanasi. The Child Care Institute has been established in BHU, while modernization of blood banks, modern trauma centers, superspeciality blocks and institutions such Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya Cancer Center where more than 70 thousand patients have received treatment is ongoing. Importantly, expansion of health services into the rural areas of India is also ongoing.
Motivating regional authorities: Incentivizing States/ UTS and districts for their progress towards ending TB. In recognition of the sharpest decline in numbers of TB patients being in Karnataka and Jammu and Kashmir, both the states were duly awarded. At the district level such recognition was given to the Nilgiris in Karnataka, and Pulwama and Anantnag in J&K.
Approach and Vision: The Government’s approach has been one of Five-ts; focus on the extensive use of Trace, Test, Track, Treat and Technology, in the fight against TB. The TB Report for 2023 indicates this approach has been quite successful and so it appears that India is set to eliminate TB by 2025 as against the global target of 2030. The Prime Minister highlighted that as a country, the reflection of India’s ideology can be seen in the spirit of Vasudev Kutumbakam, or, the whole world is one family. This ancient ideology, leads to an integrated vision with integrated solutions that are still relevant in the advanced world of today. India believes in the theme ‘One Family, One World, One Future’ and is concerned for the shared future of the entire world and the cause of global good.
Finally, regarding TB, there is a massive global potential in this approach of India’s. India is engaged in the campaign to eradicate TB by drawing upon all of the nation’s experience, expertise and willpower. Meanwhile, India is always ready to help every country in need. Its efforts today will strengthen the foundation of a more secure future and to hand over a better world to our future generations.