New Delhi: India's TB elimination programme addresses all co-morbidities and goes beyond medical interventions to tackle the social determinants of the disease, Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar said Tuesday.
She made the remarks while addressing the leadership session of WHO SEAR (South East Asia Region) high-level meeting for renewed TB response, which was co-chaired by India.
Highlighting the commitment of India towards eliminating TB, she said, "India's TB Elimination Programme is also addressing all co-morbidities and goes beyond medical interventions to tackle the social determinants of TB while minimizing access barriers to diagnosis and treatment."
Through the Nikshay Poshan Yojana, nutritional support is extended to all TB patients for the entire duration of their treatment, she said.
"The programme is also rigorously working towards Airborne Infection Control in hospital wards and outpatient waiting areas. The Programme already has the provision of chemoprophylaxis against TB disease in pediatric contacts of TB patients and PLHIV patients. We are in the process of expanding TB preventive treatment for the adult contacts too," she said.
She further added, "Reaching the unreached and reaching them early is a challenge and we have launched 'TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan' as a people's movement for TB elimination in India. India remains committed to supporting countries in its neighbourhood with possible technical support and assistance."
Pawar also appreciated the South-East Asia Region (SEAR), which demonstrated the highest-level political commitment towards ending tuberculosis and increase in investments towards ending TB.
"This is key for consistent improvement in access to rapid diagnostics and new and safer treatment regimens for TB," she noted.
PTI
