Nagaland TB Forum discusses scaling up presumptive TB testing

October 19, 2024 3 Views No Comment

India committed to end TB by 2025’

Our Correspondent
Kohima | October 19

The State TB Forum Nagaland in its meeting held here today discussed on scaling up presumptive TB testing (Relocation/Decentralization of health and wellness centers).

It also discussed on Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan, Advocacy Communication & Social Mobilization, Shorter TPT regimen & Cy- TB and TB Mukt Panchayat.

India has committed to end TB by 2025, five years ahead of the Global SDG target.

Chairing the meeting, Anoop Khinchi, Commissioner & Secretary for Health & Family Welfare, Nagaland stressed on the need to work as a team as TB Forum has a big role to play to meet the target.

Dr. Vezokholu Theyo, State TB Officer, NTEP said that the objectives of TB Forum is to engage with policy makers and implementers to ensure justice, rights and dignity of TB patients for effective service delivery, to supplement and complement government initiatives to enforce TB patient- friendly law, policy and programs, to reduce stigma and discrimination and ensure social security of TB patients, survivors and their families, to improve awareness on various government schemes, provisions, facilities available for TB patients and to improve treatment literacy and adherence among TB patients and to engage in evidence base advocacy with the stakeholders to expand services.

Dr. Theyo informed the meeting that there is no shortage of TB drug in the state.

She recalled that Prime Minister of India has launched TB Free India Campaign in 2018, which calls for a social movement focused on patient-centric and holistic care driven by integrated actions for TB Free India.

Briefing the meeting minutes and action taken report, Thungchanbeni M. Humtsoe, IEC Officer (NTEP) stated that 78 villages have been declared as TB Free during World TB Day 2024.

She informed that awareness meetings with religious leaders (churches) have covered almost all districts.

Districts NTEP staff are participating in VHND regularly by screening and testing of presumptive TB patients and giving awareness on TB.

Referring to TB Champions engagement in NTEP, she informed that 22 have been trained this year and 56 trained in HWCs.

On Community Support to TB Patients (Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan), Humtsoe informed that there are 347 individual donors, 14 NGOs, 2 elected representatives, 1 corporate and 21 others are Ni-kshay Mitras.

The meeting concluded with vote of thanks by Dr. Apichetla Amer, Assistant Programme Officer, NTEP.