An Indian tuberculosis patient receives medicines from a nurse at a TB hospital in Guwahati, Assam. File photo
| Photo Credit: AP
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has written to all the states and the Union Territories (UTs) to organise a 100-day intensified campaign on tuberculosis (TB) elimination in prisons and correctional institutions as part of the Central government’s commitment to eliminating the disease from India.
The move is significant in order to effectively control and curb the prevalence of TB inside prisons.
It may be noted that on December 7, 2024, Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda launched the intensified national ‘100 day TB elimination campaign’ in Haryana.
The goal of the campaign, to be implemented in 347 districts across the country, is to find and treat ‘missing TB cases’, especially in high-risk groups, and reduce TB deaths significantly.
Among the highlights of the campaign is the deployment of mobile, ultra-portable, AI (artificial intelligence)-enabled X-ray units and molecular tests to bring advanced diagnostics closer to people, especially in remote areas.
Published – January 09, 2025 12:06 pm IST
