PM Modi launches TB Free India campaign

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated The Delhi End TB Summit in New Delhi on Tuesday and launched the National Strategic Plan for Tuberculosis elimination.

This plan is backed by a historic funding of over 12,000 crore rupees for the next three years to ensure every TB patient has access to quality diagnosis, treatment, and support. The Prime Minister’s vision to end TB by 2025, five years ahead of the SDG’s has galvanized the efforts of the Revised National Tuberculosis Programme. The new strategic plan adopts a multi-pronged approach. The aim is to ‘Detect’ all Tuberculosis patients, ‘Treat’ all patients irrespective of where they seek care, ‘Prevent’ emergence of TB in susceptible population groups and ‘Build’ empowered institutions and human resources to streamline implementation.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a clarion call to achieve the Sustainable Development goal of ending TB by 2025, 5 years, before the deadline set by the UN. Prime Minister Modi stressed on the co-operative federalism mantra to tackle the menace of TB. He also hailed the foot soldiers who are working on ground as well as patients who have beaten the disease. Prime Minister quoted several government schemes and programmes that have left their imprint over the last 3 and half years like Ujjwala mission, National Nutrition Mission, the Ayushman Bharat Mission and the National Immunisation Mission.

Health Minister JP Nadda spelt out the efforts being made by the government of India including cash incentives and nutrition support announced in this year’s budget.